Swine Flu in India

 

 Swine Flu

Precautions Against Swine Flu

Good standard flu prevention techniques are recommended to protect yourself against swine flu:

  • Get a regular seasonal flu vaccination. It might not help against this specific strain, but it won’t hurt.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and hot running water. If hot water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel.
  • When you cough and sneeze, cover your mouth and nose. Wash your hands afterwards.
  • Avoid being near others who might be sick.
  • Stay home if you are sick, to avoid affecting others.


Symptoms of Swine Flu

The symptoms of swine flu are usually like those of regular seasonal flu and include:

  • Headache
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Loss of appetite
  • Aches
  • Fatigue
  • Runny nose
  • Sneezing
  • Watery eyes
  • Throat irritation
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • In people with chronic conditions, pneumonia may develop

 

Keep clean

Washing your hands is the single best way to prevent the spread of any type of infection. Make sure you do it properly and often. Other simple ways to prevent the spread of infection include using a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and staying away from people who are sick.

 

How to use N95 Masks ?

 

 

Is this swine flu virus contagious?

The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, presently it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

 

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

There are some drugs around that can effectively treat swine flu infection in humans. Two main types of antiviral drugs, oseltamivir or zanamivir, are used for the treatment and prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses.

If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). Most previous swine influenza human cases recovered completely without the need for medical attention.

 

How can I protect myself?

The best method is prevention. Wash your hands regularly with soap. Try to stay healthy and get plenty of sleep. Drink plenty of fluids and eat a well balanced diet. Refrain from touching surfaces which may have the virus and avoid going close to people who are sick. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

 

How does influenza-A (H1N1) spread?

Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through droplets created while coughing or sneezing by a person infected with the influenza-A (H1N1).

 

Common Myths 

 

  • Eating pork can be dangerous

Pigs have nothing to do with this disease.  Pork products are absolutely safe if properly cooked.  There is no need to cull pigs.  Do not panic if some pigs die in the community due to natural disease.

  • Flu is deadly

Although the flu is infectious, it is not deadly, says health officer Guidry. “Many of us will get it eventually, but you will survive it, just like you do the flu. It's those people who really have medical conditions that put them at risk, that's who we worry about,” clarified Guidry.

  • The seasonal flu vaccine prevents swine flu

No, say the experts. The vaccine for seasonal flu does not offer protection against the swine flu. The fact is that till now, there is no vaccine for the flu. Although the WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working to develop a vaccine for the flu, it would take another couple of months to be ready.

 

  • Mexican food can give you swine flu

Not at all, say the experts. The H1N1 swine flu does not spread from food supply, be it Italian food or Mexican food.

  • Face mask offers protection against the flu

Yes and no, say the experts. Although, N95 face masks do offer some amount of protection against the flu, they do not offer guaranteed protection.Washing your hands and wearing face masks can certainly offer you some protection against the disease.

  • Flu is dangerous just for the elderly

It is a myth that only the elderly people are vulnerable to flu. The fact is that anyone can catch flu, be it young or elderly, including children.

 

 

IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS:

Outbreak Monitoring Cell (Control Room, NICD): 011-23921401

 

 

Steps taken by our Government :

  • Do's & Dont's for Influenza A [H1N1]
  • Guidelines for diagnostic laboratories
  • Fact Sheet on Influenza A [H1N1]
  • Guidelines for testing, Home isolation and treatment
  • Draft Action Plan for Pandemic Preparedness and Response
  • Guidelines for Schools, Colleges and Institutions
  • Letter from Secretary(H) to Chief Secretaries of all States/Uts
  • Letter from Joint Secretary(H) to Secretaries/Principal Secretaries of all States/Uts
  • Statistics 
  • Daily Press Releases
  • CD ALERT
  • Swine Flu- Clinical Management Protocol and Infection Control Guidelines
  • Travel Advisory to the Public
  • List of H1N1 affected countries as on 16.6.2009
  • Guidelines for Sample Collection and Handling of Human Clinical samples for Laboratory Diagnosis of H1N1 Influenza
  • List of Isolation facilities and nodal officers of the States
  • State Control room and nodal officers information


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