Swine flu
Swine flu has made the front pages throughout the world, but what exactly is it? Find out with TheSite.org.
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of a similar kind to the flu virus that crops up each winter. This particular strain of flu is known as H1N1, but it's commonly called swine flu because it often infects pigs. In the past it's been rare for humans to fall ill with swine flu, but the strain that started in Mexico does affect us.
The biggest difference between swine flu and seasonal flu is our ability to fight it off - very few humans have ever had swine flu before, meaning we haven't had chance to build up immunity. The disease can be passed from human to human via the droplets of moisture we spray from our noses and mouths when we sneeze or cough.
What is a pandemic?
A pandemic is when a larger-than-expected number of people throughout the world become infected with a particular disease. Swine flu has become a pandemic because of our low resistance to it and the ease with which it can be spread. You can see the number of swine flu cases worldwide here. People only die from the disease if they develop complications, such as pneumonia.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include: tiredness; fever; aches; a sore throat; vomiting and diarrhoea. If you think you may have swine flu, especially if you have recently visited Mexico or the United States, you can check your symptoms online with the NHS symptoms checker.
If you've checked yourself out and you're still worried then here's what you should do:
- Stay at home - visiting your doctor (GP) or hospital could lead to other people becoming infected
- Telephone your doctor or visit the National Pandemic Flu Service to check your symptoms
- Have a friend or a member of your family around to collect medicines and food for you
- Call a doctor immediately if you take a turn for the worse
- Remember that it is only flu. The majority of the people who have died after catching swine flu had other health issues too.
What are anti-viral drugs?
Anti-viral drugs can help with the symptoms of flu. They will also reduce the amount of time a person is ill, usually by around one day, and help to guard against further complications. The UK Government has stocked up on two brands of anti-viral, Tamiflu and Relenza; enough for around half the country's population. Anti-viral drugs are being given to people with swine flu and those who have come into close contact with them.
Currently there is no vaccine for swine flu, as flu vaccines can take several months to develop and produce safely.
What can I do?
Make sure you always sneeze or cough into a tissue and then throw the tissue away. This will help prevent the flu virus spreading. The virus can also live for some time outside of the human body, so it's important to regularly wash your hands with soap and hot water and to clean surfaces that are touched regularly, such as door handles or computer keyboards. Some countries have advised people to wear face masks, but there's no evidence that masks prevent people from becoming infected.
If you're planning on travelling to a country where cases of swine flu have been confirmed, it's best to check with the Foreign Office and follow their advice.
There's no need to worry if you're fond of a bacon sandwich; you can't catch swine flu from pork products and no pigs in the UK have the disease.
