Once swine flu is over

It seems as though peoples' worries about swine flu are slowly easing with the introduction in several countries of the vaccination, which is very similar to the seasonal vaccination flu, and us hearing about less and less cases of the h1n1 virus. But once, the spread of the disease has been fully controlled and there are no more cases does that mean we should go back to our old ways and let our guards down? Who's to say that the virus won't return in a deadlier form, bringing more deaths. The threat still remains that the virus might mutate and the pandemic will come back. So it's necessary for us to still maintain good hygienic practices and wash our hands on a regular basis. If anything the swine flu pandemic has provided many restaurants and public places better practices when it comes to providing their patrons with anti-bacteria gels and sanitizing gels, Thus, safe guarding us not only from swine flu, but also bacteria and germs that may be passed from our hands to our food.

Thailand beginning early trials of Swine Flu vaccination this month

There have been 16 more fatalities in Thailand from Swine Flu recently. Bringing the total up to 81. The Public Health Ministry in Thailand shows an alarming figure of more than 3 million people who have been infected with swine flu. This number includes people who have had swine flu, but have no recovered and people who have reported swine flu like symptoms but have now recovered. GPO Director Dr Vithit Atthavejjakul said that animal trials of A(H1N1)vaccine are now being run in the Netherlands and will take six or seven days to complete. The vaccine testing to be done on humans, will be carried out within the next few weeks.

With these current trials, it seems that not enough time has been given for testing. And let's just hope the vaccine that's released here in Thailand and in other places in general hospitals won't have any harmful side-effects.

Vaccination available in the UK from October

The NHS has announced that there will be a vaccination against swine flu given to people in October. The Government has ordered enough for the entire population. However, only those most suscetible and vulnerable will have the vaccination adminstered at first, and also people in direct contact with those suscetible to the virus such as health care professionals. Andy Burnham, health secratry for the UK, has said that the vaccination will be administered at first to the following at-risk groups:

• People aged over 65, in the clinically at-risk seasonal flu groups.
• People aged between 6 months and 65 in the clinically at-risk groups from seasonal flu.
• Pregnant women, but the adminstration of the vaccine is subject to licensing by the European Medicines Agency.
• People who come into contact with others with a weakened immune system, namely if the contact is a household contact.

If you're wondering how at risk we still are from the virus, the following confirms that the number of cases has fallen from 2 weeks ago, but we are still at threat as the information below also shows:

• There has a been a reduction in the number of cases in the UK in the last two weeks. There have been 25,000 new cases in the last week, this has fallen from 110,000 new cases two weeks previously.
• There are 371 patients in hospital with the swine flu virus, 39 of them are in critical care.
• The number of consultations to GPs has also fallen in the past week.
• There have been 44 confirmed deaths in England, and now the total stands at 49.
• Still there are no signs of the mutating into a more deadly form.

Source: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/04April/Pages/Swineflulatest.aspx

So does this mean, that we are safe from the pandemic. Is it time to go back to our normal daily lives? I would say we shouldn't be complacement and still keep to what we've been doing, although the number of cases in the UK has fallen there are still new cases of swine flu everyday and until we have a safe, effective vaccination we should not let our guards down. What do you think? Please post your comments and opinions.

Many schools closed due to Swine Flu

Thailand related: This was as of today, but I still saw lots of school children in school uniform going to school today. So maybe not the whole of Bangkok:

City Hall shuts all BMA schools By: BangkokPost.com Published: 14/07/2009 at 01:59 PM The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered the closure of all of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days from July 15 to 19 to prevent the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus.

How about where you are, what measures have the government implement to try and control the spread of the swine flu. Have your local schools been shut? Please get in contact and let me know.

Swine Flu Incubation Period - Is it Something That's Cause for Concern?

So, with swine flu still very much in the news today, should you be worried about the swine flu incubation period?

To be quite frank and honest with you, swine flu symptoms may not be the only things you have to be concerned about regarding the h1n1 virus/swine flu pandemic. Because understandably, with the recent swine flu outbreak, you may have ever fears about swine flu symptoms as well as the swine flu incubation period. Furthermore, the disease continues to spread on a daily basis, and the WHO (World Health Organization) has already stated the virus cannot be contained and have reverted back to their initial warnings about the virus.

As more and more cases are highlighted in various parts of the world, widespread worry has had people wondering exactly what the virus is capable of, and given it originated from pigs, how contagious it can be in humans. With this in mind, it is vitally important to educate yourself about h1n1 by focusing simply on symptoms, treatment, and how long the flu virus remains in the human body. At the moment, swine flu has an incubation period of up to 7 days its claimed by scientists, this is after initial contact with an infected person.

You’ll discover that the most common swine flu symptoms include symptoms that can be easily be mistaken for the regular seasonal flu, thus making it harder to differentiate. Here’s some examples of symptoms you might be experiencing with h1n1: High fevers, a cough that won’t cease, sore throat, body aches, nausea and uncontrollable vomiting. It has been documented that for the most part, when swine flu starts attacking on the body, a spiked fever is one of the ways the body tries to ward off the virus. So be aware of any elevated body temperatures.

It's important not to make the fatal mistake of assuming your symptoms are normal seasonal flu symptoms. Only a blood sample will determine if you have it or not. So, the only way to tell is by seeing a Doctor. By paying attention to good hygienic practices, it can certainly help a great deal in not succumbing to the virus. You should make sure you keep your hands clean by thoroughly washing them with warm soapy water to fight off bacteria, or using an alcohol based sanitizer and rub your hands till they're dry.

So, to recap, the swine flu incubation can last for a period of up to 7 days and it is not very easy to measure unless you are aware you’ve definitely come in contact with an infected person. So it's important to keep an eye on your symptoms and see a doctor at the earliest point possible.

Swine Flu- IWhat are you thoughts in regards to the conspiracy theorists?

Do you really believe the conspiracy theorists and that swine flu is a conspiracy? We are well aware now that the swine flu pandemic, means the virus is spreading at an alarming rate across the globe and may be becoming resistant to the antibiotics and medicines we have to guard against it. Nearly 70 countries have now confirmed cases of the h1n1 virus, and the numbers are rising. As you might have guessed, throughout all this chaos, many have a heightened panic level about how the h1n1 virus is transmitted and are constantly on the look out for ways they can guard themselves.

A lot of the panic is hyped up by the media as people try to sort fact from fiction. People are constantly being bombarded with messages about being prepared for the worse.
And furthermore, there is a great amount of panic among well-meaning parents who want to get their children vaccinated but only to be disappointed because that there is no vaccine that has won the approval of the United States government. However on the reverse side, there are some parents who fear vaccination all together and haven’t taken the necessary swine flu precautions in order to protect their children.

Let's cut to the chase…it’s time for a little common sense mixed in with caution. It’s certainly true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The CDC (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention) are saying that exceptional hygiene, thorough hand washing, and also taking your multivitamins and staying home when you feel sick are some of the best ways to ensure you come out of this unscathed.

However. these simple strategies understandably will not be enough for some people. Hence it's why there are many swine flu conspiracy theories in existence today. Furthermore, many people would say that there was some deeper root cause for a virus of this nature to spread this quickly across the world.

Here are what some of the conspiracy theorists are saying, agree with them or not, have your say by posting below this post.

1. The virus has been manufactured as a result of an experiment by one major pharmaceutical company here in the US. People are saying it was released by accident and now the government is trying its best to cover it up.

2. Another theory is that it's a naturally mutated virus which has been caused by hog factory farms in Mexico.

3. An act of Terrorism- plain and simple, terrorist are diverting their strategies away from instant destruction and favouring a move towards bio-terrorism.

4. The swine flu virus, some say, was specifically manufactured as a means for the rich to wipe out the poor.

5. Global Warming is responsible for causing this virus .

However, make sure you don’t fall victim to this 'pandemic'. Take the necessary precautions listed by the CDC and WHO and err. on the side of caution.

How To Avoid Getting Swine Flu - 8 Useful Tips

First things first. The simple fact of the matter is Swine flu is nothing to get blaze about. However, according to health experts, the public should be vigilant and not panic. You may be thinking this is easier said than done. However, keep reading if you want to learn how to avoid this infection and keep you and your loved ones safe. The fundamental point is that the swine flu outbreak was initially thought to only be transmitted from pigs to humans. Now, studies, however, show that it is being spread through human contact and is quickly becoming a great threat to us and one of the deadliest viruses of all time.

The CDC (Center For Disease Control) and The World Health Organization have been working endlessly to keep us informed and updated on the latest confirmed cases and deaths linked to the virus.
The list below show some of the common symptoms of the virus:
1. Runny nose
2. Achy muscles
3. Being lethargic
4. Lack of appetite
5. Sudden onset of fever over one hundred.
6. Headaches

As you can clearly see, it is difficult to ascertain the difference between other types of flu symptoms, and this particular strain of the virus requires a diagnosis from your health practitioner. This can take time, so it's important if Swine Flu is suspect to see them right away.

But, don’t panic help is at hand. There are a few very effective ways to ward off infection and prevent the spread of swine flu.

#1 – Don’t risk going outside. If you are experiencing flu like symptoms, simply stay at home. Since these symptoms mirror regular cold and flu symptoms, this way if you have the flu you will be effectively quarantining yourself.

#2 – Watching how to cough and sneeze. Be sure to cover your mouth with a tissue or handkerchief, and dispose of it, right away.

#3 – Make sure you wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Whatever you touch could be affected, so a good rule of thumb would be to keep your hands clean to reduce your chances of becoming infected.

#4 – A little hand sanitizer does wonders. Simply have a tube of hand sanitizer with you at all times. This way you can constantly ensure your hands are clean and free from germs and bacteria.

#5 – If possible avoid public places. There are many places and objects where germs can easily hide, such as door nobs, counters and of course in the open air of busy shopping malls and other public places.

# 6 – Take a cautious approach on airplanes. The close quarters of an airplane is a place where germs like the swine flu virus lurk, so protect yourself by taking hand sanitizers with you. And if you feel you're coming down with a fever inform the air stewards.

#7 – Ensure you wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Buy your fruits and vegetables locally, where possible. Wash them with water and soak them for good measure.

#8 – Go to doctor at the earliest point possible. If you are experiencing any flu like symptoms, then see your doctor immediately. As stated earlier, only your health practitioner can effectively diagnose your particular strain of flu.

By following these pointers you will stand yourself in good stead, and remember always to have good hygiene practices, even when the Swine Flu pandemic passes.