Important Information on Swine Flu & What You Can Do

The Swine Flu is a respiratory disease caused by Type A influenza viruses regularly found in pigs. Although outbreaks of swine flu normally do not cause outbreaks in people, human-to-human transmission of the virus is possible. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus that is currently being reported in the news is exactly this type of contagious human-to-human virus.

Symptoms of Swine Flu Include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Body Aches/Headache
• Chills & Fatigue
• Diarrhea/Vomiting

The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the symptoms of a regular seasonal flu. Based on the symptoms alone, there is no way for you to easily determine whether you have the swine flu or regular seasonal flu. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, it is best to make an appointment to see your health care provider, who can then determine whether you require further testing or treatment for the swine flu.

 Tips to Help Prevent Getting Sick

• Wash your hands frequently, especially after you cough or sneeze. This is very important and your best defense against contracting the virus. Using soap & water is most effective, but hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes can also be effective.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Immediately throw the tissue in the garbage after you use it. The virus is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and droplets spread through the air.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands. Since you use your hands to touch people & things throughout the day, hand contact is the easiest way for a virus to spread and another reason that it’s so important to wash your hands frequently.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick or have flu-like symptoms.
• If you feel sick with any flu-like symptoms, stay home from school & work. This helps prevent the virus from spreading to others.

If You Think You Have Swine Flu…

Treat your symptoms as you would if you had seasonal flu. Rest, drink lots of fluids, and monitor your temperature. If you are an adult, you may take aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen to reduce fever and body aches. Children & teenagers should not be given aspirin for any flu-like symptoms—this can cause a serious illness called Reye’s Syndrome. If your child has a fever you may give them a child’s dosage of acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®).

Talk to your health care provider. They may prescribe an antiviral drug (Tamiflu®, Relenza®) that can help make your illness milder. These antiviral medications work best if given within 2 days of your symptoms occurring, so call your doctor when you first notice that you feel sick.