Swine Flu – Protect Yourself!
The Swine Flu is invading the United States from our friends across the southern border. Now is the time to pay attention to health warnings and protect yourself from this potentially deadly virus.
Both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are warning Americans to keep an eye open for potential cases of the swine flu. It is vital that everyone who suspects swine flu report it immediately in order for authorities to track its progress through our country.
In order to protect yourself from swine flu, here are a few steps you should take.
1 – First of all, DO NOT PANIC! The likelihood of you getting swine flu is, at this time, almost impossible. However, if you have just traveled through Mexico or have been near someone who has, monitor your health and check for signs of the swine flu.
2 – Most people who travel to Mexico will not get the swine flu, but there are some categories of people who are more likely to get it than others. If you have any type of immune deficiency such as HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, or suffer from asthma or allergies, you should be alert for signs. If you are older or have recently undergone chemotherapy or radiation for cancer, you should also be alert.
3 – Contrary to popular belief, simple fabric masks, such as those used by painters or dentists do not protect you against the virus. It may lesson your chances of catching it up, but not by much. You are better off protecting yourself as you would from any other type of virus – stay away from people who are sick, be careful what you touch, and wash your hands often.
So, how do you know if you have the swine flu? Well, you don’t. If you exhibit signs of the traditional form of influenza, then you need to make a beeline to the local health center and get checked out. But beware – you may be quarantined and held until results can be determined. Do not go to the emergency room claiming you have swine flu unless you have nothing left to do that day!
Signs of the swine flu are very much the same as the regular flu that we have all had during our lives. A fever, a cough, a feeling of tiredness. Vomiting, diarrhea, and a headache. Sound like an everyday case of the flu? Of course it does, so be sure you know what you are doing before you contact a doctor.
The swine flu is very quick to move from person to person, mainly through a sneeze or a cough. Even a brief handshake can pass the virus on to your neighbor, so be very careful.
The swine flu is hardly the plague – at least at this time – so there is probably no reason to change your lifestyle. Of course, I wouldn’t head to a pig farm in Mexico right now, but for the most part, most of us are safe. Use the normal health precautions you would do every day and you will escape this epidemic unscathed.
