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What is the Swine Flu? How do I protect myself from the Swine Flu?
I have heard all of the news about this Swine Flu going around and it really scares me. (I am, by the way, talking about the H1N1 flu, commonly referred to as Swine Influenza.) I heard something like Egypt had all of their pigs killed to prevent the Swine Flu from spreading so badly to their country. The Swine Flu sounds really scary, especially since it has spread to my city!
What is the Swine Flu exactly? Does anyone know yet or is it still being tested upon and sorted out? I have no idea how the Swine Flu has spread but I figure it was like any other flu virus, right?
So, how can I protect myself from getting the Swine Flu? I want to take all of the preventative measures if possible because I know the Swine Flu is deadly, right? (How many has the Swine Flu killed already anyway? Does anyone know?!)
Any information provided about the Swine Flu is greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!
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Swine flu is a strain of influenza that is weaker (so far, based on reports of the infected) than regular influenza. I believe swine flu is being referred to as "influenza A"
There haven't been any lab studies that I've heard of released, but from what we've seen swine flu infected fewer people than regular flu, and was responsible for fewer deaths than regular flu.
Regular flu kills sometimes as many as 500 thousand people per year worldwide. Thats like 1400 a day who die of flu in the world. Plain old regular "take some theraflu and call in to work or school" flu. Swine flu has killed six or seven people total. Based on the World Health Organizations reports, during the entire swine flu scare only 6 people died who were diagnosed with it, and each of them had serious underlying conditions like congenital heart failure.
During that same time, over 15 thousand people had deaths where influenza (non swine flu) was a cause or related cause.
So, don't worry about it. Wash your hands in public, do what you normally do, and ignore the fear mongering.
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Legit, have you been living in a cave for the last 2 weeks? Haha its been all over the news here for what seems like ever. Then again, the state I live in was one of the first to get it, soo.
I go to high school with kids from 3 different towns. In one of the towns, (not mine) a few little kids have it. They have siblings who go to my school. And hundreds of people have it in my state (and its not one of the larger states, like the western ones). Its really not a big deal.
As long as you wash your hands, you most likely will not get swine flu. Wash after you go to the bathroom, before you eat, and whenever you depart a new building. (If you're in school and switch classrooms, you may want to carry hand sanitizer - they sell pretty smelling ones at Bath & Body Works lol - in your pencil bag or purse or something and use it every time you go to a new classroom.) That's really not necessary though, I just do it in bathrooms and before lunch, then after gym, 'cause you touch the balls and gym equipment and stuff.
Killing the pigs in Egypt was stupid and a precaution that wasn't worth taking - swine flu is a mix of pig, bird, and human flu and when humans get it is only passed from human to human.
Another stupid precaution is masks, like the ones doctors use when they're performing surgery. After a few hours, the germs in the air actually collect and it actually becomes worse for your health. But they really are unneccessary, unless somebody in your building has a confirmed case of h1n1 and they haven't had a chance to clean it yet.
In all the schools in my area in which people have gotten the flu, they usually close them down for a day or two and clean it out so its spotless. Unless people from the school are carrying it on them, its pretty much impossible to get it from being in the building from that point on.
The swine flu is a media crisis. Its to get publicity. Its really not that big of a deal. As long as you wash your hands and don't lick your hands, you are completely fine. Flus come in many different forms and types. This type is H1N1. The only reason its made into such a hype is because there is no medicine for that specific type of flu because its not common. (A vaccine for it will be available in a few months though, right before flu season.) However, Tamiflu and another medication are readily available. The only catch is that you have to confirm the symptoms within 24-48 hours, or else the medication becomes much less effective.
Symptoms of the swine flu are just like a normal flu. Why? Because its just that. Just. a. flu. If you're really all that concerned, take your temp every day. If its below 100, chances are pretty damn good that you don't have the stupid flu. (When you have any type of infection in your body, your temp spikes.)
Do you know how many people have already died this year from the flu, all types excluding the swine? Over 1000. Yep. Not lying. It was on the news. 1000 people have died from the flu already in 2009. Do you know how many people have died from the swine? 2! (At least, in America.) Just like the normal flu can rapidly spread, this one can too. If you catch it early, there's no reason to worry whatsoever.
Small children and elderly people have the worst immune systems. Also people with compromised immune systems, like people who have certain diseases- I couldn't tell you which ones, but I know arthritis is one. Actually, people in their teens through early 30s (without disease) are least suspectible to the flu, since their immune systems are strongest.
Take a deep breath. Chances are so small you'll the get the flu.
... All of this information is completely right, I'm not BS'ing you into assurance. I was freaked out a few weeks ago, too. I read up about it and newsletters got sent home from my school when people in my region started getting it. Nobody cared after the first week. Really.
Hope I gave you a little comfort, hon, you will be fine :)
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The swine flu is a new virus. It's a mix between swine, human, and bird flu. In the United states there have been 5469 confirmed cases and only 6 deaths. If you have it, you get the flu-like symptoms, you go to the hospital, they give you a shot of Tamiflu and (as long as you're otherwise healthy) you go home.
In order to avoid it, wash your hands frequently. Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands. Cover your mouth when you cough/sneeze.
Here is the official website, it can answer any questions you may have as well as give you some facts and guidance:
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