Today we are more at at more risk from various strains of the flu virus than we have before. We had alarms about bird flu, but now swine flu has become a major concern. Swine flu is a greater concern than bird flu. It was a worry that bird flu could change into a form that could infect humans, thankfully, apart from a few isolated cases, this has not happened to date.
Swine flu is a much greater problem, it can pass between humans making it a very serious threat. Swine flu (influenza A (H1N1)) is an influenza virus that infects pigs. Outbreaks of swine flu in pigs doesn’t normally infect humans although it can occur occasionally.
Swine flu is a unknown type of virus and therefore is very dangerous to humans. No one has been in contact with this particular type before, which means no one has developed any immunity. It is our inbuilt immunity that prevents infections from becoming life threatening, without inbuilt immunity we have no defense from the virus. Everyone is susceptible, including healthy adults and teenagers as well as the young and senior citizens.
Swine flu can easily give rise to a pandemic influenza situation. A pandemic flu occurs when a flu viral strain develops that is very different from previous flu strains that very few, if any, humans have any sort of immunity to. This lets the influenza virus to spread rapidly in the population.
Pandemic flu differs from seasonal flu as explained below. Seasonal flu happens yearly, usually in the winter. About 10 to 15 percent of people will be effected and the vast majority will recover with no treatment in 1 to 2 weeks.
Pandemic flu affects more people, up to half the population, it is far more serious, all ages can be infected.
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. Symptoms include a sudden onset of a fever, a cough or a shortness of breath. Other symptoms that may also present themselves include headaches, sore throats, aching muscles, chills, sneezing, runny nose, appetite loss and tiredness.
Precautions to take. Anyone showing flu or cold symptoms needs to take some easy precautions. The flu virus is spread between people from the tiny droplets from the mouth and nose when someone sneezes or coughs. This is the way viruses such as swine flu are spread among the population. Using your hands to cover your nose or mouth when you cough or sneeze is not effective enough. The virus simply sit on your hands, then everything you touch becomes contaminated. Anyone touching the same place will pick up the germs and then risks becoming infected. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or tissue. A tissue is much better, the tissue should be disposed of as soon as possible, try to always use a new tissue when you sneeze or cough again.
Currently there are no vaccinations available to prevent anyone contracting swine flu. Swine flu is a new strain of virus. Therefore the annual vaccination against the normal seasonal flu is not effective against swine flu. Once the strain of flu causing swine flu is found, it will then take many months to produce. By this time, it could have mutated into a different strain.
The only effective precaution you are able to take against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu is not guaranteed to prevent flu, but if you have been in contact with someone else who has the flu virus, it may help in stopping the virus making you ill. If Tamiflu is taken in the first 2 days of getting the flu virus, Tamiflu may help in stopping the virus from spreading through the body, thereby alleviating the symptoms and the risk associated with the virus. Governments are stockpiling Tamiflu, these supplies will naturally be used in treating important workers and individuals before the general population.
can buy Tamiflu online, if the situation occurs you are able to offer as much protection as possible to yourself and family. It can’t be emphasized enough, Tamiflu does need to be taken as early as is possible to be effective, delays in treating the virus will reduce how effective Tamiflu is.
Remember, swine flu is a global problem. If a pandemic outbreak becomes global it is possible that supplies of Tamiflu may be low and may possibly not meet a massive worldwide demand. Until a vaccine is found and manufactured in the quantities required, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for swine flu, it is sensible to buy Tamiflu beforehand if you feel you could be at risk.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information available in {the popular#the} media 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 with your healthcare worker.