Swine Flu, What Precautions To Take And What Treatments Are Available

We are today (more and more|more} vulnerable from various mutations of the flu virus. initially we had alarms over the bird flu virus, and recently swine flu has become a major worry. Swine flu is more serious than bird flu ever was. It was a worry that bird flu could mutate into a strain that could infect humans, apart from a handful of cases, this situation has not materialized. Swine flu is a larger worry, the swine flu virus has the ability to pass from human to human making swine flu a dangerous threat.

Swine flu (influenza A (H1N1) is a disease that infects pigs, it is the result of a flu virus. Swine flu outbreaks in pigs is is common and is rarely fatal. In the past, swine flu doesn’t normally infect humans, although it can occasionally happen.

Swine flu is particularly dangerous because it is a new strain of the flu virus. This means that no one has been exposed to this particular strain before, and therefore no one has developed any immunity. It is our inbuilt immunity that stops diseases from becoming life threatening, with no inbuilt immunity to the swine flu virus we are in serious danger from the virus. Everyone is vulnerable, including healthy adults as well as young children and the elderly.

The real worry is what occurs when the winter flu season arrives. It is then when the flu virus may quickly spread causing widespread illness with possibly over half the population being affected.

Swine flu symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. The symptoms include a sudden,sudden onset of a fever, cough, shortness of breath. Other symptoms that may present themselves include headache, a sore throat, muscle aches, chills, sneezing, runny nose, appetite loss and tiredness.

Precautions Anyone with the symptoms of a cold or flu needs to take a few simple, but most important precautions. The flu virus is spread between humans from the small droplets from the mouth and nose when someone sneezes or coughs. This is the way viruses such as swine flu are spread from person to person. Covering your face with your hands when you sneeze or cough isn’t enough. The germs simply sit on your hands, and everything you handle afterwards becomes contaminated. Anyone touching anything you touched will pick up the flu virus and will then risk becoming infected. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or tissue. A tissue is far better, this should be disposed of as soon as possible, and always use a new tissue if you cough or sneeze again.

Currently there are no vaccinations to stop anyone catching swine flu. The swine flu virus is a new strain of virus and is not the same as seasonal flu. The vaccination against the usual seasonal flu is not effective against swine flu. Once the strain of flu virus causing swine flu is identified, it will then take many months to produce. By which time, it may well have mutated into a different strain again.

The only effective treatment against the swine flu virus is Tamiflu. Tamiflu is not guaranteed to stop flu, but when someone has been exposed to another person who has the swine flu virus, Tamiflu can help to stop the virus making a person sick. If Tamiflu is taken within 2 days of developing flu, it can help stop the virus spreading throughout the body, reducing the symptoms and risk associated. Governments worldwide are stockpiling Tamiflu, these supplies will first be used to treat key workers and individuals before the general population.

You can however buy Tamiflu online, if the situation arises you can protect yourself and your family as much as possible. Although it can’t be emphasized enough, Tamiflu has to be taken as soon as possible to be effective, delays in treating the virus will greatly reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu. If you are at a increased risk due to your situation, such as For example living in a busy city with a large population or working in a busy office, then it may be prudent to buy Tamiflu before the winter flu season starts. If you happen live in the country and do not have close contact with many people then you will be at a lower risk.

Remember that swine flu is a worldwide problem. If a pandemic outbreak becomes global it is possible that supplies of Tamiflu may not be great enough to meet a huge worldwide demand.

Until a vaccine is found and produced in the large quantities needed, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for the swine flu virus.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information that is freely available in the press and medical journals concerned with swine flu. Nothing in this posting is meant to be or should be taken to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice you are advised to consult your own healthcare worker.