Swine flu has yet to escalate into a global pandemic, but heres what to do if it does 5 Ways to Protect Yourself (and Others) from Swine Flu Experts say that the steps you should take to shield yourself from swine flu are not much different than those you might take to ward off seasonal flu。
1. Dont touch your face
Above all, keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth and nose, all of which serve as pathways for the virus to enter your respiratory tract, says Allison Aiello, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor。
2. Wash your hands
If you must touch your face, scrub your hands, getting under the fingernails and inside all crevices, for 20 to 30 seconds with hot soap and water beforehand, Aiello says. In addition to dislodging dirt that may contain virus particles, soaps contain surfactants [the primary components of detergents] which can damage the lipid [fat] protecting virus particles, she explains. Soap should therefore be effective against all flu viruses。
3. Use a hand sanitizer
No sink nearby? Then use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, Aiello advises. About a quarter-size spot, rubbed all over the hands until the sanitizer evaporates (usually 10 to 15 seconds)， should do it. Alcohol can inactivate viruses by destroying the structure of their proteins, she notes。
4. Cover your nose and mouth
When someone sneezes or coughs, liquid droplets packing flu viruses can travel as far as three feet (one meter) through the air and descend on your nose or mouth, so its best to maintain at least an arms-length distance when talking to someone who shows signs of infection, says Louise Dembry, director of epidemiology at YaleNew Haven Hospital in Connecticut. And to protect others, cover your mo.
Symptoms are similar to those of regular flu: fever, along with problems such as cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. Some cases have also included reports of vomiting or diarrhea.
What should I do if I feel sick?
People with ordinary flu symptoms do not need to seek emergency care, New York City officials said. But people with certain warning signs in addition to basic symptoms should seek urgent attention. In children, those signs include difficulty breathing; bluish skin color; flu symptoms that begin to improve, then return with fever and worse cough; and fever with a rash. In adults, warning signs include difficulty breathing, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, and severe or persistent vomiting.
When a strain of influenza with pandemic potential struck in April, it was generally referred to as swine flu.Now,the name is A/H1N1 that has killed many people in the wold.A/H1N1 is a new flu that was first detected in April, 2009. An increasing number of cases are being reported in many country includ China.It's still uncertain at this time how severe this A/H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, especially middle-aged man , and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result.
Nowadays China has reported 9 confirmed A(H1N1) influenza cases. The government and health authorities are very much concerned about the health of Chinese students studying abroad amid the spread of A(H1N1) influenza.The government and health authorities has been urging citizens with symptoms of the flu -- a sharp increase in body temperature, headaches, muscular pains and breathing problems -- to visit their nearest medical center as soon as possible.
