Information About Swine Flu, The Simple Precautions That Should Be Taken And Treatments Available
Today we are more at at more risk from various strains of the flu virus than we have been previously. We had concerns about bird flu, and recently swine flu has become a major health problem. Swine flu is of more problem than bird flu. It was feared that bird flu may mutate into a strain that might become infectious in humans, thankfully, apart from a few cases, this has not happened.
Swine flu is a greater concern, swine flu can pass from human to human which makes it an extremely serious threat. So what is swine flu. Swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), is a respiratory disease that effects pigs, it is the result of an influenza virus. Outbreaks of swine flu in pigs is quite common and is rarely fatal. Swine flu does not usually infect humans, although it can happen occasionally when humans have been in close contact with pigs with swine flu.
Swine flu is a unknown type of virus and therefore is very dangerous to humans. No one has been in contact with this type previously, which means no one has developed any immunity to this particular strain. Without inbuilt immunity a virus can be life threatening because our body is unable to defend against the virus. Absolutely everyone is susceptible, this includes healthy adults and teenagers as well as the young and the elderly.
Swine flu can easily result in a pandemic flu situation. Pandemic flu occurs when a flu virus develops that is different from previous flu strains that few, if any, humans have any immunity to. This allows the influenza virus to spread rapidly throughout the population.
Ordinary flu and swine flu differ as explained below Seasonal influenza happens annually, mainly in the winter months. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of people are effected and most will recover without treatment in 1 to 2 weeks.
A pandemic outbreak of influenza affects far more people with up to half the population infected. Pandemic flu affects people of all ages.
The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the symptoms of ordinary influenza. These can include a sudden onset of fever, a cough or a shortness of breath. Other symptoms that may be present can include headaches, sore throat, aching muscles, chills, sneezing, runny nose, appetite loss and tiredness.
Precautions that can be taken. Anyone with flu or cold symptoms should take some simple precautions. The influenza virus is spread between people from the small droplets from the mouth and nose when someone sneezes or coughs. This is the way viruses are spread from person to person. Using your hands when you cough or sneeze is not effective enough. The germs simply sit on your hands, and everything you touch afterwards becomes contaminated with the virus. Anyone who the touches the same surface as you will pick up the virus and become infected. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or disposable tissue. A tissue is better, the tissue should be disposed safely as soon as possible, and always use a new tissue if you cough or sneeze again.
Currently there are no vaccinations available to stop anyone catching swine flu. Swine flu is an unknown strain of virus. Therefore the seasonal vaccination against ordinary influenza is ineffective for swine flu. Once the type of flu causing swine flu is identified, it will then take many months to produce. By this time, it may have mutated into a different strain.
The only real effective precaution you can take against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu is not guaranteed to prevent flu, but when someone has been in contact with someone else who has the flu virus, Tamiflu can help in stopping the flu virus making a person sick. If Tamiflu is taken within 2 days of getting the flu virus, it will help to stop the flu virus spreading through the body, reducing the signs and symptoms and risk associated with the virus. Governments are stocking up on Tamiflu, but these supplies will be used in treating important workers and individuals before the population at large.
You can buy Tamiflu online, so if the situation arises you can offer as much protection as is possible to yourself and loved ones. It can’t be emphasized enough, Tamiflu needs to be taken as early as is possible for it to be effective, any delays in treating the virus will diminish the effectiveness of Tamiflu.
Remember that swine flu is a worldwide problem. If an outbreak becomes global it is possible that supplies of Tamiflu could become diminished and may possibly not be enough to meet a massive worldwide demand. Until a vaccine is found and manufactured in the quantities required, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for the swine flu virus, it is sensible to buy Tamiflu in advance if you think you may be at risk.
Disclaimer: This post is based on information freely available in {the popular#the} press and medical journals concerned with swine flu. Nothing in this posting is intended to be or should be taken to be medical advice. For medical advice you should consult your doctor.
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