swine flu fact file

8/13/2019 Swine Flu Fact file

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SWINE FLU FACTFILE

Q: How does it spread?

A: The new swine flu irus is hi!hl" #onta!ious$ that is it spreads fro% person to person&

The irus is spread throu!h the droplets that #o%e out of the nose or %outh whenso%eone #ou!hs or snee'es& If so%eone #ou!hs or snee'es and the" do not #oer it$ those

droplets #an spread a(out one %etre )*ft+& If "ou are er" near(" "ou %i!ht (reathe the%

in&

,r$ if so%eone #ou!hs or snee'es into their hand$ those droplets and the irus within

the% are easil" transferred to surfa#es that the person tou#hes$ su#h as door handles$ hand

rails$ telephones and -e"(oards& If "ou tou#h these surfa#es and tou#h "our fa#e$ the irus

#an enter "our s"ste%$ and "ou #an (e#o%e infe#ted&

Swine flu iruses are not -nown to (e spread (" eatin! food ite%s& Influen'a iruses arespread throu!h inhalation or throu!h tou#hin! #onta%inated surfa#es and then tou#hin!

the %outh$ nose$ or e"es&

Sour#e: National Health Seri#e$ U. we(site



Q: What are the s"%pto%s?

Swine flu s"%pto%s are si%ilar to the s"%pto%s of re!ular flu and in#lude feer of oer/00&12F$ fati!ue$ la#- of appetite$ and #old& So%e people with swine flu hae also

reported runn" nose$ sore throat$ nausea$ o%itin! and diarrhoea& Nearl" eer"one with

flu has at least two of these s"%pto%s&

Symptoms Cold Flu

Fever Rare Characteristic, high 100-102 degrees F); lasts 3-4 days

Headache Rare Prominent

eneral aches, !ains "light #s$al; o%ten severe

Fatig$e, &ea'ness ($ite mild Can last $! to 2-3 ee's

*+treme *+ha$stion ever *arly and !rominent

"t$%%y ose Common "ometimes

Chest iscom%ort,Co$gh .ild to moderate; hac'ing co$gh Common; can /ecome severe

So$ how do "ou -now if "ou hae flu or 3ust #old?

There is one #lue: when "ou hae the flu$ "ou feel flu s"%pto%s sooner than "ou would

#old s"%pto%s$ and the" #o%e on with %u#h !reater intensit"& With the flu$ "ou %a" feel

er" wea- and fati!ued for up to 4 or * wee-s& 5ou6ll hae %us#le a#hes and periods of#hills and sweats as feer #o%es and !oes& 5ou %a" also hae a stuff" or runn" nose$

heada#he$ and sore throat&



Q: What is the treat%ent?

A: Antiiral dru!s #an (e used to treat swine flu or to preent infe#tion with swine flu

iruses& The anti7iral %edi#ines oselta%iir )Ta%iflu+ and 'ana%iir )8elen'a+ are

(ein! used to treat people with swine flu& Antiiral dru!s wor- (" preentin! the flu irusfro% reprodu#in!& To (e effe#tie "ou need to ta-e the% within 19 hours of the

s"%pto%s (e!innin!& These flu dru!s #an de#rease the duration of the flu (" / to 4 da"s

if used within this earl" ti%e period& These antiirals are usuall" !ien for a period ofa(out 7; da"s& It6s un#lear whether these dru!s #an preent #o%pli#ations of the flu&

Ta%iflu is approed for preention and treat%ent in people / "ear old and older& 8elen'a

is approed for treat%ent of people ; "ears old and older and for preention in people

"ears old and older& These %edi#ations %ust (e pres#ri(ed (" a health #are professional&

Side effe#ts: Side effe#ts of antiiral dru!s %a" in#lude nerousness$ poor #on#entration$

nausea$ and o%itin!& 8elen'a is not re#o%%ended for people with a histor" of (reathin!

pro(le%s$ su#h as asth%a$ (e#ause it %a" #ause a worsenin! of (reathin! pro(le%s&<is#uss side effe#ts with "our do#tor&

Self %edi#ation: Anti(ioti#s are a no7no& Chan#es are that anti(ioti#s will not help "our

flu s"%pto%s& That6s (e#ause flu$ #olds$ and %ost sore throats and (ron#hitis are #aused

(" iruses& In addition$ ta-in! anti(ioti#s when "ou hae a irus %a" do %ore har% than!ood& Ta-in! anti(ioti#s when the" are not needed in#reases "our ris- of !ettin! an

infe#tion later that resists anti(ioti# treat%ent& Anti(ioti#s onl" #ure #ertain infe#tions due

to (a#teria 77 and if ta-en #arelessl"$ "ou %a" !et %ore serious health pro(le%s than "ou

(ar!ained for&

Is there a a##ine to treat swine flu irus? No$ there isn=t a a##ine "et& >ut a##ines are

(ein! %ade in lar!e uantities& Clini#al tests will (e!in in Au!ust 400@& <ependin! onhow lon! federal offi#ials wait for the results of these tests$ tens of %illions of doses of

swine flu a##ine #ould (e read" as soon as Septe%(er 400@$ with %ore a##ine

(e#o%in! aaila(le ea#h %onth thereafter& The first doses of a##ine li-el" will !o to pre!nant wo%en and "oun! #hildren a!es %onths to 1 "ears$ with older s#hool -ids to

follow&

Sour#e: Centres for <isease Control and Breention )C<C+$ National Health Seri#e$ U.we(site$ We(<



Q: Can it (e preented?

A:

Influen'a antiiral dru!s also #an (e used to preent influen'a when the" are !ien to a person who is not ill$ (ut who has (een or %a" (e near a person with swine influen'a&

When used to preent the flu$ antiiral dru!s are a(out ;0D to @0D effe#tie& When used

for preention$ the nu%(er of da"s that the" should (e used will ar" dependin! on a person=s parti#ular situation&

Follow this !eneral pro#edure to redu#e the ris- of #at#hin! or spreadin! the irus$ "ou

should:Coer "our %outh and nose when #ou!hin! and snee'in!$ usin! a tissue

Throw the tissue awa" ui#-l" and #arefull"

Wash "our hands re!ularl" with soap and water

Clean hard surfa#es )li-e door handles and re%ote #ontrols+ freuentl" with a nor%al#leanin! produ#t

.eep awa" fro% others as %u#h as possi(le& This is to -eep fro% %a-in! others si#-& <onot !o to wor- or s#hool while ill

Sta" ho%e for at least 41 hours after feer is !one$ e#ept to see- %edi#al #are or for

other ne#essities& )Feer should (e !one without the use of a feer7redu#in! %edi#ine&+<rin- #lear fluids )su#h as water$ (roth$ sports drin-s$ ele#trol"te (eera!es for infants+ to

-eep fro% (ein! deh"drated

Wear a fa#e%as- if aaila(le and tolera(le when sharin! #o%%on spa#es with other

household %e%(ers to help preent spreadin! the irus to others&

Sour#e: C<C$ National Health Seri#e$ U. we(site



Q: What pre#autions should "ou ta-e at institute?

A:

Aoid #lose #onta#t with people who are si#-

Beople who are si#- with an influen'a7li-e illness should sta" ho%e and -eep awa" fro%others as %u#h as possi(le$ in#ludin! aoidin! trael$ for at least 41 hours after feer is

!one e#ept to !et %edi#al #are or for other ne#essities& )Feer should (e !one without

the use of feer7redu#in! %edi#ine+& Coer "our %outh and nose with a tissue when#ou!hin! or snee'in!

Wash "our hands often

Aoid tou#hin! "our e"es$ nose or %outh



Q: Who is at ris-?

A:

Those who are %ore at ris- fro% (e#o%in! seriousl" ill with swine flu are peoplewith:

#hroni# )lon!7ter%+ lun! disease$ in#ludin! people who hae had dru! treat%ent

for their asth%a within the past three "ears$#hroni# heart disease$

#hroni# -idne" disease$

#hroni# lier disease$

#hroni# neurolo!i#al disease )neurolo!i#al disorders in#lude %otor neuronedisease$ Bar-inson6s disease and %ultiple s#lerosis+$

suppressed i%%une s"ste%s )whether #aused (" disease or treat%ent+$

dia(etes$

pre!nant wo%en$ people a!ed or older$ and

"oun! #hildren under fie&Sour#e: National Health Seri#e$ U. we(site

swine flu fact file

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