Swine Flu: The Pig is Back
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Recently, the government of Canada started an ad campaign for swine flu awareness…. the panic for the pig is revived! So I thought I’d add a little to the panic. Here are some fast facts about H1N1.
How the Pig is Spread
It does not spread by eating pork, soooooo pork chops are still cool. It spreads through coughing, sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose/mouth.
Symptoms
Symptoms are similar to those of seasonal flu: fatigue, headache, fever, sore throat, sneezing, coughs, muscle aches and a runny nose.
The Vaccine
The government of Canada signed a 400 million$ contract with GlaxoSmithKline for 50.4 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine. According to a first clinical trial of the pandemic vaccine, one dose of the human swine flu vaccine provides almost 100 per cent immunity three weeks after vaccination.
Rules of Prevention
- Wash those hands often, especially after being in the metro/bus/train/any public place.
- When coughing or sneezing, do it into your arm instead of your hand. I think this could get trendy. And if it does, maybe smelling your armpit can be as well … we’re halfway there.
- Keep everyday surfaces in your house or office disinfected. There are some easy-to-apply sprays & wipes.
- Simple rule of thumb => Sick = STAY AT HOME until better!
It takes about two to seven days, after being infected, to start experiencing the symptoms.
The vast majority of people who are infected are not serious cases at all. Although if you have immune-suppressed health conditions or are a pregnant women, you might want to pay attention to those prevention rules since you could be more vulnerable.
Basically, there’s no need to panic just yet. The government has taken more than enough precautionary measures, so you can take your own. And if you’re the panicky type then just get the shot: they’ll be available in November.
For additional panic on H1N1: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/faq_rg_h1n1-eng.php#vac
For the radio ads: http://www.fightflu.ca