How to protect yourself from swine flu

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs that is caused by type A influenza viruses. There are regular outbreaks among pigs of swine flu.

Normally people do not contact swine flu but there have been cases where human have been infected. In addition, swine flu has been reported to spread from person-to-person but until recently this transmission has been limited.

The present swine flu that is making the news is known as swine influenza A (H1N1) and is a different strain than any previous.

Swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.

The symptoms of this new form of swine flu are similar to those of a regular human flu. The symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches; headache, chills, fatigue and some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu.

At the moment there is no vaccine developed to inoculate people against this new flu, however, there are efforts underway to create on.

Health agencies around the world are actively involved in monitoring, advising and developing a vaccine.

In order to reduce your chances of contracting swine flu, you need to do all of the following steps.

The most important thing you can do is regularly wash your hands. In addition, now is the best time to begin to take good care of yourself; get enough sleep, exercise, drink plenty of fluids, especially water and eat a balanced diet.

You also need to avoid if at all possible surfaces that may have been contaminated with the flu virus. One suggestion, I will offer is when you go to a grocery store, for example, take advantage of the hand wipes, many have in a dispenser near the carts, wipe the cart.

You can back this up by carrying your own hand wipes and using them before touching taps, cart handles and so on. I do this regularly.

Also do your best to avoid people who are sick, if you think you are coming down with something and are able to, take the day off ,and call your doctor. If at all possible, avoid close contact with people who are sick.

These steps make good sense even if the swine flu virus was not out there; they all help to reduce the spread of the common cold and regular flu and make simple good sense.

So do yourself, and other,s a favour take a few sensible precautions and help yourself and others stay healthy.