H1N1 Swine Flu and How You Can Avoid It

H1N1 Swine Flu and How You Can Avoid It Frank Barnhill M.D.

Print
Email To A Friend

Home

Family Medical Topics

Newsletter Archives

Index of All Topics

Useful Links

drhuggiebear.com Downloadable Forms

Live Teleseminars and Audio Presentations

It’s true! There is a worldwide H1N1 Novel type (Type A, Swine Flu) influenza epidemic. Statisticians refer to these epidemics as pandemics, since they are found in almost every country. I’m sure that by now you’ve learned or at least heard about all you wish to know about Novel type H1N1. I think most of my patients and all of the others that ask me about H1N1 at restaurants, local stores and church have three genuine concerns:

- When will the vaccine be available?

- Will I be allowed to take the vaccine immediately? And…

- How can I keep from getting the Swine flu if I can’t get the vaccine?

Let’s address these concerns one at a time.

The Swine Flu vaccine will probably be available by mid-October. Estimates for its release date have changed back and forth, but it looks like the U.S. will be among the first to receive supplies.

It appears the CDC will require the initial Swine Flu vaccine supplies to be given to pregnant women, high-risk children and adults (Diabetes, COPD, Asthma, CHF, HIV, hepatitis C and B), and healthcare workers. Pregnant women for some reason are at high risk for Swine Flu infection and death.

Several patients have ask me why healthy EMTs, nurses, doctors and other healthcare providers should get injections from this first batch of vaccine. The answer is simple. H1N1 spreads by close contact. Doctors, nurses and other people who must treat or handle Swine Flu patients are at increased risk of getting the flu and therefore likely to spread the bug if they do so. If all of your healthcare providers are in the bed with the flu, there will be a short but severe doctor and nurse shortage and you might not get adequate care should you become ill.

With all-of-that behind us, let’s discus how you can avoid getting the Swine Flu.

1. Get your regular flu shot as soon as possible. It is not too early and there are experts that think doing so will give you some protection from Novel H1N1. Of course, you should also get the Swine Flu vaccine, when available if you are in a high-risk medical group (all of those things listed earlier).

2. Wash your hands minimum 10 times per day. A study published in the September British Journal of Medicine (BMJ), found that physical measures such as hand washing, wearing gloves and surgical masks, and wearing protective clothing either prevented or decreased the risk of developing the Swine Flu.

3. While the technique was not specifically studied, that same article mentioned the use of what is called social distancing as a means of further preventing spread of the disease. What social distancing amounts to is:
* Avoiding contact with persons you know are sick
* Not going to work on days you have a temperature of greater than 99 degrees, unless you have been evaluated by a doctor
* Not sending your sick child to school, daycare, or sporting events if he or she
is sick or if there are others there have recently had a bout of the flu
* Wearing a mask and gloves when you must be around sick persons
* Wearing disposable masks, gloves and gowns when handling a sick persons
bodily excretions, such as vomit or diarrheal bowel movements
* Avoiding public gatherings such as church and sporting events if you are sick
or if the flu epidemic worsens such that large numbers of people are sick

Yes, I understand how difficult social distancing can be, but it is an effective way to decrease you and your family’s risk of getting the flu. Just consider this; some far eastern cultures don’t shake hands or even touch each other during flu season. In Japan it’s not uncommon to see workers wearing surgical masks or gloves if they have been sick. I believe the practice of bowing to acknowledge each other instead of hugging or shaking hands, was started to prevent the spread of disease.

You can learn more about avoiding and transmitting the flu on drhuggiebear.com.

To expand your infectious disease knowledge (My wife says that’s Dr. Mom to you big boy!), take a look at these related articles:

How to Avoid the Flu
http://www.drhuggiebear.com/information/howtoavoidthefluupdate2.htm

About the "Swine Flu", or Human Influenza A H1N1
http://www.drhuggiebear.com/information/abouttheswineflu.htm

About the Pneumonia Vaccine
http://www.drhuggiebear.com/information/aboutthepneumoniavaccine.htm

Antibacterial Soaps: Good or Bad?
http://www.drhuggiebear.com/information/antibacterialsoaps.htm

When to Keep Your Sick Child from Daycare, Nursery, or School
http://www.drhuggiebear.com/information/whentokeepyoursickchild.htm

When You Can Send Your Child Back to Daycare, Nursery, or School
http://www.drhuggiebear.com/information/whenyoucansendyourchild.htm

If you need additional information, please don’t hesitate to drop me an E-mail.

Dr. Frank

drfrank@drhuggiebear.com

References:

The National Health Service research and development programme and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia

BMJ. 2009;339:b3675/MedscapeNews

These health tips are offered for your common sense use and are not intended to take the place of a visit to your doctor. Your use of the materials implies your understanding that nothing herein contained represents individual medical advice.

drhuggiebear, drhuggiebear.com and contained materials are the copyrighted and/or registered properties of Frank Barnhill, M.D. and may not be reproduced for profit without the express written permission of the author. All materials may be photocopied in whole for educational use. For information please contact us at drfrank@drhuggiebear.com.

Privacy Notice