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 when so%eone #ou!hs or snee'es& If so%eone #ou!hs or snee'es and the" do not #o er 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 are spread 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 Ser i#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 fe er of o er /00&12F$ fati!ue$ la#- of appetite$ and #old& So%e people with swine flu ha e also reported runn" nose$ sore throat$ nausea$ o%itin! and diarrhoea& Nearl" e er"one with flu has at least two of these s"%pto%s&
Symptoms Fever Headache eneral aches, !ains Fatig$e, &ea'ness *+treme *+ha$stion "t$%%y ,ose Cold Rare Rare "light ($ite mild ,ever Common Flu Characteristic, high 100-102 degrees F); lasts 3-4 days Prominent #s$al; o%ten severe Can last $! to 2-3 )ee's *arly and !rominent "ometimes
Chest -iscom%ort,Co$gh .ild to moderate; hac'ing co$gh Common; can /ecome severe
So$ how do "ou -now if "ou ha e flu or 3ust #old? There is one #lue: when "ou ha e 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 ha e %us#le a#hes and periods of #hills and sweats as fe er #o%es and !oes& 5ou %a" also ha e a stuff" or runn" nose$ heada#he$ and sore throat&
Q: What is the treat%ent? A: Anti iral dru!s #an (e used to treat swine flu or to pre ent infe#tion with swine flu iruses& The anti7 iral %edi#ines oselta%i ir )Ta%iflu+ and 'ana%i ir )8elen'a+ are (ein! used to treat people with swine flu& Anti iral dru!s wor- (" pre entin! the flu irus fro% reprodu#in!& To (e effe#ti e "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 anti irals are usuall" !i en for a period of a(out :7; da"s& It6s un#lear whether these dru!s #an pre ent #o%pli#ations of the flu& Ta%iflu is appro ed for pre ention and treat%ent in people / "ear old and older& 8elen'a is appro ed for treat%ent of people ; "ears old and older and for pre ention 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 anti iral dru!s %a" in#lude ner ousness$ 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 ha e 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! on how 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! a aila(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 A %onths to 1 "ears$ with older s#hool -ids to follow& Sour#e: Centres for <isease Control and Bre ention )C<C+$ National Health Ser i#e$ U. we(site$ We(C<
Q: Can it (e pre ented? A: Influen'a anti iral dru!s also #an (e used to pre ent influen'a when the" are !i en to a person who is not ill$ (ut who has (een or %a" (e near a person with swine influen'a& When used to pre ent the flu$ anti iral dru!s are a(out ;0D to @0D effe#ti e& When used for pre ention$ 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: Co er "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+ fre?uentl" 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#-& <o not !o to wor- or s#hool while ill Sta" ho%e for at least 41 hours after fe er is !one$ eE#ept to see- %edi#al #are or for other ne#essities& )Fe er should (e !one without the use of a fe er7redu#in! %edi#ine&+ <rin- #lear fluids )su#h as water$ (roth$ sports drin-s$ ele#trol"te (e era!es for infants+ to -eep fro% (ein! deh"drated Wear a fa#e%as- F if a aila(le and tolera(le F when sharin! #o%%on spa#es with other household %e%(ers to help pre ent spreadin! the irus to others& Sour#e: C<C$ National Health Ser i#e$ U. we(site
Q: What pre#autions should "ou ta-e at institute? A: A oid #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! a oidin! tra el$ for at least 41 hours after fe er is !one eE#ept to !et %edi#al #are or for other ne#essities& )Fe er should (e !one without the use of fe er7redu#in! %edi#ine+& Co er "our %outh and nose with a tissue when #ou!hin! or snee'in! Wash "our hands often A oid 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 people with: #hroni# )lon!7ter%+ lun! disease$ in#ludin! people who ha e had dru! treat%ent for their asth%a within the past three "ears$ #hroni# heart disease$ #hroni# -idne" disease$ #hroni# li er disease$ #hroni# neurolo!i#al disease )neurolo!i#al disorders in#lude %otor neurone disease$ 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 A: or older$ and "oun! #hildren under fi e& Sour#e: National Health Ser i#e$ U. we(site
