While Swine Flu is widely recognised as a threat to all, it has particular danger for certain groups of vulnerable people. This often happens with any epidemic, where the virus spreads quicker among certain groups. These may include those groups of people whose immune systems are not as strong as they could be. For example, an elderly man will most definitely be more at risk form a virus than a young man in his twenties who is in great physical health.

Pregnant women, people who work with public in the health industry, and anyone over six months old who has a serious health condition are among those people who are identified as being vulnerable when it comes to Swine Flu.

As it turns out, a massive 11 million people join the group. This means that this vast number will be given priority when vaccines are administered, for example. The top group is that which comprises anyone over the age of six months and under the age of sixty-five who has been recognised as at risk form general flu.
The next group on the priority list is pregnant women. This means any woman who is pregnant is deemed to be in danger form Swine Flu, and is given priority when treatment is taking place.

Anyone who is in regular contact with a person or people with drastically reduced immune systems is also deemed to be at risk. For example, if you live with someone who has cancer, or any other degenerative disease, then you are deemed to be at risk. This is particularly important, because the effect of decreased immune systems on people who are not ill can be devastating, with sickness travelling very quickly between infected groups.

Anyone who is over sixty five years of age and has been previously recognised as being at risk of flue in general is placed in the Swine Flu at risk category. They generally tend to be people who are not healthy. This is interesting to note too because there are many over sixty-five year olds who are very healthy indeed. So the distinction is made between those who are healthy and those who are not.

Frontline health workers, for example nurses, doctors, and midwives, as well as hospital auxiliary staff, will be vaccinated within a few days of the vaccination being made available. This helps the workforce in healthcare to stay healthy and remain able to treat people who are sick. Also, the infection speed when a health worker is involved with a high volume of patients is formidable. Entire hospitals could be closed down if the vaccinations are not delivered.

The virus is pretty much a mild issue in most people’s lives. However, having the option of vaccinating large numbers of vulnerable groups means that if the virus becomes even more aggressive, the people who have most to lose are fully protected. This means that when vaccinations are rolled out on a large scale, people can expect to see a very large queue forming.

Swine Flu

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It is absolutely vital under normal circumstances to have a working thermometer at home, but when there is a Swine Flu problem about, it is especially important.

Having a working thermometer means that you can check for one of the most noticeable symptoms of Swine Flu, namely a raised temperature. If the temperature of the patient is over thirty eight degrees centigrade, this is officially cause for concern, and this means that you would then start looking for other symptoms to ensure that Swine Flu is not the problem.

If you are taking the temperature of a child, stay with them while the reading is being taken. Many young children respond well to in-the-ear thermometers, and these are thermometers that need you to be present anyway. However, it is vital that you stay with any child who is having their temperature monitored.

Always ensure that the thermometer is clean, and that you are fully aware of the instructions before you start taking someone’s temperature. It is absolutely vital that you know how to take a successful reading, due to the fact that Swine Flu can be diagnosed by temperature readings. If your reading is inaccurate, it could compromise the diagnosis, and place people in danger. If you do record a raised temperature, it is important that you do not jump the gun and start to check for other symptoms. Give it twenty minutes, then go back and take another reading. This way you can check that the temperature is consistent.

When choosing your thermometer at your local pharmacy, always ask for help form the pharmacist. Once they know the background of your family and the make-up of the family unit, they will be able to advise on the best thermometers to buy.

Mercury thermometers are still available, but they are gradually being withdrawn from the market. You are strongly advised not to purchase one of these if it can be avoided. This is because mercury thermometers can cause damage to the skin if the seal is broken. Adults should use them if they have to be used, not children. This is because children can bite on thermometers if they are orally administered, and biting into a mercury thermometer can be highly dangerous.

Digital thermometers are much safer, and can be used orally, or to take a temperature reading form a person’s armpit. You should remember that taking a reading from an armpit can be slightly complicated, due to the fact that a reading from this location can be 0.5 degrees lower than the bodies’ actual temperature. You should add on the shortfall to get a true reading.

It is very hard to exaggerate the need to have a good working thermometer in the home. As Swine Flu becomes more prevalent, having recourse to a good thermometer, with which you can monitor your families’ temperature accurately and safely, can be the difference between early identification of the problem, and valuable treatment days being missed. Invest in one today, and reap the benefits of a good thermometer.

Swine Flu

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It makes perfect sense to have a working thermometer at home, as one of the main indicators that you have Swine Flu is a raised temperature. However, there are a few other things you need to keep an eye on if you are to avoid getting into trouble with the Swine Flu virus.

First of all, if you have an existing serious illness that seriously threatens your health, like cancer, you must call your doctor immediately if any of the Swine Flu symptoms appear or present. This is especially vital. If you have a very serious illness, there is every chance that the Swine Flu symptoms will cause your condition to deteriorate much quicker than you expect. Your immune system is your only defence against flu symptoms, and having a greatly weakened system due to your own personal health situation could mean a drastic and sudden turn for the worst. If you suffer from anything very serious, then contact your doctor if you feel any of the Swine Flu symptoms coming on. This must be done immediately. It will quite possible save your life, as well as prevent others from getting ill too. Swine Flu will thrive on your system, and have a huge impact on the health of those around you.

If you are pregnant and the symptoms of Swine Flu flare up, then seek medical advice immediately. This is more than vital, due to the fact that you are carrying a life. The impact on the immune system and general health of both you and your baby will be drastic, and can quite easily cause complications at birth if not treated immediately. If you suffer from any of the symptoms, and especially if you suffer from a raised temperature, contact your doctor straightaway.

In your household, if you have a child under one year old who is sick, then you should contact your doctor straightaway if symptoms of Swine Flu present. These can cause a rapid decline in a very young child, and if left untreated for too long, can even cause the death of the child. Avoid any complications by monitoring your child’s temperature frequently using a child friendly thermometer (there are plenty of in-ear thermometers that are not too invasive for little ones). If the temperature is above thirty eight degrees, contact your doctor immediately.

For most groups of people, Swine Flu is nowhere near as scary as the media are painting it to be. In fact, many people can get over Swine Flu very easily, just by staying in bed and drinking lots of fluids. However, the high risk groups outlined in this article need to take extra care, or be cared for, because they are likely to decline quite quickly if the virus takes hold. Again, the value of using a good quality thermometer cannot be overestimated. Keep monitoring the health of all the members of your household, and the results will pay off in dividends.

Swine Flu

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Swine Flu has become a very popular topic in the news and in media generally over the last few months. This is because it can have fatal consequences, and it can spread quickly. Flu is very contagious, and the risk of carrying a flu that is fatal as well as very spreadable makes it very newsworthy.

However, it is important to remember that it is possible to be rational and realistic about Swine Flu. Here is some information about the symptoms of the illness. Looking carefully at these should give you some ideas on how to best look after yourself if you become unwell.

So far the majority of Swine Flu cases have been exceptionally mild. If you do recognise any of the symptoms detailed here, however, it is important that you consult with a doctor, so that if it is Swine Flu you are dealing with, it can be treated early.

If you or a member of your family has what is recognised as a high temperature (over 38 degrees centigrade) and two or more of the following symptoms, it is important that you consult with a medical professional as soon as possible.

• If you or a member of your family is feeling unusually tired then it is worth monitoring this tiredness to see if it degenerates into a persistent condition. This means if you are more fatigued than usual when carrying out tasks, for example. If the sufferer feels more tired generally it could be a symptom.

• If the patient has a persistent headache, this could be a symptom. Essentially, if the headache is hard to treat, then it could well be serious, and it is important that you consult with a doctor.

• A runny nose could be another reason for concern. This means a constant runny nose over time. A slight sniffle is not in this category, so it is worth remembering that the nose has to be running quite persistently before anyone should be worried.

• A sore throat could be a problem. This is very easily detectable, but if it is persistent and extremely sore, than it is worthwhile contacting the medical professionals.

• Any shortness of breath could well be cause for concern too. If you are feeling out of breath for prolonged periods of more than a few minutes, there is generally a good reason fro contacting your doctor. If this is accompanied by a persistent cough, then it is definitely time to call the doctor.

• If you or anyone in the home has aching muscles, then it is worth monitoring the situation, and seeing if it is persistent enough for you to have to call a doctor. This is one of the symptoms of Swine Flu.

Remember, if you have a high temperature and two or more of the listed symptoms, then there is every chance that you are showing some symptoms of Swine Flu. To put your mind at rest, contact your doctor immediately.

Swine Flu

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You may have heard a lot about Swine Flu via the media in recent times. The media have perhaps been enjoying the reporting on this latest epidemic with a little too much glee. Whatever your opinion about how they have handled it, it is safe to say that the Swine Flu affects everyone to some extent. Even if you do not have it (and many people have it without realising it), there is every chance you will have heard of a colleague or friend who has suffered form it or some of its complications.

The symptoms are easily recognisable. First of all, you will notice a high temperature that comes on very quickly. This will of course be very noticeable for many adults. It is hard not to know when you have a temperature that is out of control. However, with young people, especially the very young, it may take some careful monitoring of the child’s temperature, especially if they are presenting as v=being generally unwell. Good use of the thermometer should tell a clear story if the worse is happening, and this will allow the doctor to be informed quickly if it is necessary.

The sufferer may also feel general aches and pains. This means pains around the body, in the muscles and the joints. Even if you think you are just suffering from general back pain, for example, it is very much worthwhile going to see your doctor about it. It could manifest as a Swine Flu symptom.

You may suffer from a loss of appetite. Again, this will be most noticeable among adults, who generally know when they do not want to eat. However, if your child is generally a fussy eater, it may take a little more investigation to recognise such a symptom.

If you have such symptoms, the next course of action that you must take is very clear. First of all, treat it like a normal flu incidence. In other words, take lots of rest and drink lots of fluids. This means staying in bed and relaxing basically. If the symptoms persist for more than a couple of days however, get yourself to the doctor, or get someone out to see you.

This is because the symptoms will generally peak at around the two to three day mark. After around eight days you should feel better. However, after that three day mark, things should start to calm down. If they don’t, you will need medication and medical attention immediately.

A word about masks. They do provide protection for the people around you if you are carrying a virus, but they do absolutely nothing for you. This is absolutely essential, but seems to be a distinction lost among many people. If you are considering wearing a mask, think twice. It is much better to get well, rather than to keep all of your potentially lethal germs to yourself.

So there are some basics about Swine Flu. If in doubt, consult a doctor. This is always the best course of action.

Swine Flu

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When Swine Flu first became a major news story earlier this year, people began to think seriously about washing their hands. And when one thinks about it carefully enough, this makes perfect sense. If you wash your hands, you are automatically adding one line of defence to your body against any kind of virus. And when it comes to Swine Flu, good personal hygiene has now been widely recognised as a major barrier to the spread of the virus.

It is absolutely vital that you wash your hands regularly. Many governments around the world are informing their citizens as to how best wash their hands. While this may seem a little silly at first glance, the level of attention you have to give your hands if you want to insure they are really clean is actually quite serious. It should take you around a minute to properly clean your hands and protect against infection of any kind. If you have seen one of the government posters, it would be worth your while to follow their instructions to the letter.

Whatever you do, do not bite your fingernails. This is a very unhygienic habit to start with, and if there is a virus going around that is actually killing people, it surely must be the last thing you would want to do to yourself. If you are addicted to biting your fingernails, then seek professional help now. There are many products out there that can help you to stop this unsavoury habit. It is worth your while to try and top anyway. But the presence of Swine Flu in surfaces that we touch on a regular basis should be reason enough.

Make sure that you wash your face regularly, especially the nostril area. This is key to you protecting yourself against Swine Flu. Swine Flu travels via the droplets that come out of our noses when we sneeze. If you want to make sure that you are not carrying anything or breathing in anything that could potentially make you very ill, it is very much worthwhile cleaning your nostrils thoroughly. If you spend a little extra time cleaning your face every day you should keep yourself relatively healthy and safe from the virus.

Vaccines are perhaps the one big trick that most people are relying upon when it comes to Swine Flu. However, they may not be the final solution to the problem of Swine Flu. For a start, they cannot cover all of the strains. Historically, vaccines can never attack all of the strains of a virus. If they were able to do this, then the world would be a recognisably healthier place. Instead, they only try and keep up with a virus as it mutates and progresses.

The best advice you can take form all of the literature out there is to just keep yourself clean and healthy. Practise good personal hygiene, and make sure that you never leave yourself open to infection due to you not keeping yourself clean.

Swine Flu

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It is an acute respiratory disease that primarily affected pigs. At one point it was responsible for pig deaths of around one to four per cent. Since the early days of the virus spreading, it has of course become responsible for human deaths. However, when it came to pigs, it was viewed as having a generally low mortality rate.

Pigs are more to blame than we think. In fact, some might even argue that they did all of this on purpose. They are the perfect mixing units for Swine Flu, in the sense that flu strains form different animals, including humans, can find a home in pigs, and get all mixed up. After they have been all mixed up, the resulting strain, which is complicated to say the least, can result in a super strain, just like Swine Flu. These resulting strains are so powerful that humans have little or no resistance to them.

Remarkably, the new strain of Swine Flu that is doing the rounds worldwide has never ever been seen in pigs. It is not infecting pigs, and never has. In fact, it could almost be called Human Flu.

Old fashioned seasonal flu (the kind that everyone gets at some point in their lives) is still killing more people than Swine Flu ever will (hopefully), with nearly half a million people killed by flu in the UK alone last year. This is the flu that we all get to some degree. It is the kind that can lead to people being bedridden, and we have all had some form of it.

The problem is that Swine Flu resembles normal flu in many ways. The symptoms that normal flu presents with are almost identical to Swine Flu symptoms. This is why so many people have been caught out, and have confined themselves to bed for longer than they should have before seeking medical help.

In 1918, a flu strain called ‘Spanish Flu’ arrived, killing an estimated one billion people. This was Swine Flu or a strain of it at least. Although a billion people died, it could have been much worse. This part of history perhaps explains the current media hysteria. Modern medicine can help most of us, but all the media have to do is mention ‘Spanish Flu’ and the fear is palpable.

Back in 1976, a US army recruit complained about feeling ill, and then died the next day. This was again a strain of Swine Flu. The president, Gerald Ford, authorised vaccinations for 40 million Americans. Then they realised that the vaccine was probably more dangerous than the flu, and stopped it.

So there you go, some things you probably didn’t know about Swine Flu. Many people are aware that it originated form pigs, but not in the way that it actually happened. And the fact that Swine flu has affected the planet before is especially intriguing. If you suffer from any of the symptoms of Swine Flu, seek medical advice immediately. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Swine Flu

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There is one particular small group of people who are most vulnerable to the virus. This group contains those with serious or highly damaging medical conditions.

The first recognised very high risk group consists of those people who have had chronic lung disease. This group would find themselves deteriorating very rapidly, health wise, if they caught the virus. Asthma sufferers are not safe either, with anyone who has undergone any kind of drug treatment for Asthma within the last three years at a particularly high level of risk.

Those who have had or who suffer from chronic heart disease are another group of people who are considered to be putting themselves at very high levels of risk by not taking precautions. This particular group can see a very rapid decline in their health due to the fact that their most vital organ is weakened, and therefore vulnerable to all sorts of attack and damage.

Chronic kidney and liver disease sufferers are also urged to take extra precautions when out in public or generally just exposing themselves to infection. These patients have weakened organs and this means that any damage or infection to these organs can take hold very quickly, and cause major damage, and even death.

Anyone who has a compromised immune system, whether this is because they have a disease or just because they have undergone some invasive and disruptive medical treatment in the past, have every chance of suffering faster and more drastically if they are exposed to Swine Flu. This group needs to know how their system has been affected, and what they need to do to protect themselves. A good discussion with their doctor should facilitate the gathering of knowledge in this regard. Talking to your doctor will allow you to get a grasp of what you should be avoiding, and how you should be living your day to day life most effectively. It will only take one exposure to the Swine Flu virus for your health to deteriorate if you have a poor immune system, so taking precautions according to doctor’s orders is of paramount importance.
Swine Flu is spreading form person to person. There is a common myth out there that pigs need to be involved still as the virus spreads. This is not true. Humans can now quite easily pass the virus from one to another. This makes it especially dangerous for those people who are in the very high risk groups and come into contact with others on a regular basis.

The virus is spread through the droplets that are emitted form the nostrils when we sneeze or have a sniffle. This makes public transport highly dangerous when an epidemic is in full swing. The vulnerable people, especially those with a recognisably reduced immune system, are the ones who will be exposed to such transmission most quickly and most damagingly.

If you are one of those people who are deemed high risk, seek medical advice from your doctor, and act on what they say.

Swine Flu

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Questions are being asked as to why obesity seems to be causing problems and why infected individuals in some cases seem to spiral into serious illness rather than mild to moderate conditions that are presented on average. High percentages of obese or exceptionally obese people have become desperately ill and health experts believe it is because obese people suffer from secondary conditions such as asthma and other ailments which leave the more vulnerable. Simply being obese has not previously been a factor of risk for the seasonal influenza.

High risk groups in general are a concern for health systems worldwide and nations are continuing to stockpile antiviral medications generic tamiflu and relenza as well as ordering further quantities of vaccinations so no one in high risk categories will be left unprotected. The northern hemisphere has been fortunate not to be facing an immediate threat of this pandemic virus during normal influenza season. Government health officials are studying the effect of this influenza strain as it makes its way through the southern hemisphere during their flu season, watching for any clues that may be helpful in the coming months in the north.

Swine Flu Health Hurdles For Obese Patients

U.S. Health experts reported that ten patients suffering from extreme symptoms of swine flu were hospitalized in Michigan in May and June, three have since passed away from the illness and notably nine out of ten were either obese or very obese. Only three of them had secondary health issues and of the three who passed, only one suffered other health problems. This question of obesity and risk requires more examination as underlying problems may have existed and been undetected however there are enough questions to warrant further study.

Another noteworthy problem was five of the ten patients formed blood clots in their lungs and six of them suffered from their kidneys shutting down. These are not new complications in swine flu patients but the numbers are out of proportion. All that can be done right now is warn clinical personnel of the aggravated conditions associated with swine flu for this patient demographic and remain vigilant while treatment progresses in extreme obesity patients.

The Center for Disease Control – CDC – released their mortality and morbidity statement which detailed statistical information for swine flu in the U.S., a total of 37,246 cases and 211 deaths as of July 10th, 2009 have been identified in the United. These numbers are somewhat misleading since many cases of swine flu go undiagnosed so the total is probably far more with some estimates reaching one million cases with many being only mild cases of flu.

Since the virus was first noticed in California back in April ‘0994,000 cases have been reported worldwide in more than 100 countries so says the WHO.

Swine Flu

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They also discovered those individuals who lived through the 1918 pandemic as survivors of the illness appear to have added protection against the virus. Experiments conducted on monkeys and ferrets showed that seasonal influenza would not reproduce in the lungs but H1N1 did replicate appreciably better in the lower respiratory tract.

As an aside, The WHO has noted a quality vaccine capable of combating the H1N1 flu virus could possibly be delayed until the end of the year upsetting the preparedness plans for vaccination installed in many countries. There are emergency stores in place if countries need to respond more rapidly if in fact they feel the need is urgent.

There is a problem currently with vaccine production for H1N1 pandemic vaccine attaining the proper “harvest” of the main ingredient needed to produce the vaccine. Unlike the season flu vaccine production these yields are considerably lower, only producing about half as much as usual with regular influenza or seasonal flu vaccine.

So far the twenty first centuries first pandemic has claimed at least five hundred victims and made ill more than a million according to approximations. Thw WHO stands by its claim that novel H1N1 Influenza A virus is mainly infecting people at a mild to moderate severity level but this in no way means it is similar to seasonal influenza.

There is no mistaking that this new pandemic virus is different from seasonal influenza according to medical experts. Pregnant women and obese people are at serious risk and younger adults seem to contract the illness more. There are at risk groups who as a rule are not as harshly effected by seasonal flu as they are by this new virus. The capability to set in the lungs is not unique to this new pandemic virus. The 1918 Spanish flu had the same characteristics and mortality estimates range widely – between 30 million and 100 million people.

Elderly Are Protected

Medical personnel tested the New virus in blood taken from elderly patients and workers living in residence at nursing homes in the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands. People who were born prior to 1920 had a strong response from their natural antibodies to the new H1N1 virus. This could only mean that their systems actually “remembered” from a previous infection in early childhood. This discovery is supported by another study published in a national science magazine that found those individuals who had survived the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic continued to have immunity defenses toward that virus.

The influenza viruses undergo constant change which is the reason infection reoccurs and why vaccines are always being reinvented. The current seasonal flu strains of H1N1 virus are related two or three times removed from the H1N1 Spanish influenza virus of 1918 and also the new novel H1N1 recent pandemic variety. The current swine flu has strong origins and continues to bedevil the world’s population. The current virus has the potential to harness a major blow to the health of the worlds people and cause pain to the world economy.

Fortunately the current strain of influenza can be controlled using antivirals Generic tamiflu and relenza and the technology is now in place to develop vaccines pretty rapidly to combat infection unlike in 1918. There are more controls and surveillance in place than there were in 1918 and the WHO is heavily invested in a leadership role offering hard data and pandemic preparedness information that is timely and effective. Hygiene and medical practices have also come a long way since the 1918 pandemic and complications encountered can be treated using modern clinical methods.

Major pharmaceutical manufacturers the world over are working on vaccine production and the WHO is recommending first response health care worker get priority immunization. These health workers would be followed by high risk groups in the population and depending on vaccine quantities immunizations would proceed as nations see fit for their own circumstances.

The WHO had approximated that up to 4.9 billion doses of new pandemic swine flu vaccine would be prepared for the coming influenza season but production amounts and the assumption that only one shot per person will be necessary will be determining factors of vaccine readiness. Since the latest results on vaccine production were disappointing the WHO is in the process of revising their previous numbers.

Though similarities exist between the H1N1 influenza virus of 1918 and the H1N1 novel swine flu pandemic virus currently circulating, Many differences are also noteworthy. There have been continuous declines in the mortality and morbidity numbers of the three pandemics of the last century that have been due in part to better virus surveillance, improved health practices, and networking among nations medical response personnel to coordinate efforts globally to combat the pandemics. Communications also play an important role with near instantaneous reporting around the world to new and significant events.

One thing remains constant. A potentially deadly virus is spreading around the world and millions of people will be getting very sick from it.

Swine Flu

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