A friend emailed me this very informative info and I thought it was worth sharing.


Mexico is contending with an outbreak of swine flu, suspected in the deaths of dozens of people and sickening perhaps 1,000. In the United States, at least eight cases have been confirmed with the infection, all of them in California and Texas; only one person was hospitalized. Here are some questions and answers about the illness:

Q. What is swine flu?

A. Swine flu is a respiratory illness in pigs caused by a virus. The swine flu virus routinely causes outbreaks in pigs but doesn't usually kill many of them.

Q. Can people get swine flu?

A. Swine flu viruses don't usually infect humans. There have been occasional cases, usually among people who've had direct contact with infected pigs, such as farm workers. "We've seen swine influenza in humans over the past several years, and in most cases, it's come from direct pig contact. This seems to be different," said Dr. Arnold Monto, a flu expert with the University of Michigan.

Q. Can it spread among humans?

A. There have been cases of the virus spreading from human to human, probably in the same way as seasonal flu, through coughing and sneezing by infected people.

Q. What are the symptoms of swine flu?

A. The symptoms are similar to those of regular flu — fever, cough, fatigue, lack of appetite.

Q. Is the same swine flu virus making people sick in Mexico and the U.S.?

A. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the Mexican virus samples match the U.S. virus. The virus is a mix of human virus, bird virus from North America and pig viruses from North America, Europe and Asia.

Q. Are there drugs to treat swine flu in humans?

A. There are four different drugs approved in the U.S. to treat the flu, but the new virus has shown resistance to the two oldest. The CDC recommends the use of the flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.

Q. Does a regular flu shot protect against swine flu?

A. The seasonal flu vaccine used in the U.S. this year won't likely provide protection against the latest swine flu virus. There is a swine flu vaccine for pigs but not for humans.

Q. Should residents of California or Texas do anything special?

A. The CDC recommends routine precautions to prevent the spread of infectious diseases: wash your hands often, cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick, stay at home and limit contact with others.

Q. What about traveling to Mexico?

A. The CDC has not warned Americans against traveling to Mexico but advises that they be aware of the illnesses there and take precautions to protect against infections, like washing their hands.

Just wanna know why peple insist on going to crappy areas of the world...you take your chances, you pay the price. Thanks Mexico.

its here now in canada as well.its been found in BC n NOVA SCOTIA so far.

this makes sars look like a helpless baby.

confirmed cases in new york city .

they just closed a school near my house in washington state for this swine flu.should we worry or is this not as serious as most people think? any thoughts would be appreciated

yup,bout a 100 US schools closed today:mask:

The cases of H1N1 flu [WHO changed its name today from swine flu] that are being contracted here in N America have been mild and really no more serious than with normal flu we see emerge every fall.

The virus may further mutate however into a much more deadly strain possibly re emerging this fall during the normal flu season.

If that should happen the ones contracting the virus now may be the very lucky ones having achieved a level of immunity from the early strain.

I received this from my kids school board and i thought i could share it with you guys.


Thanks






Human Influenza A (H1N1) (“Swine Flu”)
What is swine flu?
•
Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by viruses that infect the breathing passages. Some influenza viruses infect only humans, others prefer to infect pigs, while yet others prefer to infect birds.
•
The new influenza virus that was first detected in Mexico and southern California in April 2009 appears to be made up of parts of influenza viruses that come from pigs, birds, and humans.
•
New influenza viruses that infect humans can spread rapidly because no one is immune.
What are the symptoms?
•
Influenza, including swine flu, typically causes symptoms of fever, headache, chills and cough, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and throat irritation.
•
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may occur in adults as well as in children.
•
Influenza may cause worse illness in persons with underlying chronic medical conditions, such as heart or lung disease.
•
Sometimes complications such as pneumonia develop, including severe respiratory illness and death.
How is influenza transmitted?
•
Influenza, including swine flu, is spread from person to person by direct personal contact, and through droplets that are coughed or sneezed from an infected person.
•
It can also be spread indirectly through contaminated surfaces, such as desks, hand-rails, and objects used by an infected person. The viral particles can get on the hands of another person and be put into his or her eyes or nose. This type of transmission can be avoided by proper hand washing or use of a hand sanitizer.
How long can an infected person spread influenza to others?
•
Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before becoming sick and up to seven days after.
•
Younger children might be contagious for some days longer.
Can swine flu be transmitted by eating pork?
•
Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. As per normal, prepare and cook pork safely.
Can swine flu be treated?
•
Influenza, including swine flu, can be treated using antiviral medications that are prescribed by your doctor. Treatment is most effective if started on the first or second day of illness.
How can one prevent the spread of influenza in humans?
•
The federal government will be deciding on the best approach in terms of developing a vaccine specific to this new influenza virus.
•
As would be the case normally during the cold and influenza season, your own health practices are important:
1.
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. It is important to wash with soap under warm running water for at least 15 seconds. Alcohol-based hand gel can also be used if soap and water are not available, and hands are not visibly dirty. It’s a good idea to keep
some with you in your pocket or purse when you travel.
2.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent viruses from entering into your body.
3.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Ill people should not go to work, school or large gatherings in public places. If you have to see a doctor, call ahead to the office, or tell the receptionist right away that you think you may have influenza.
Photo: CDC/ Brian Jud
4.
Practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands.
5.
Monitor your health after return from travel for at least one week. If you develop influenza-like symptoms when you return to Canada, you should seek medical attention immediately. Tell the health care provider who sees you that you have been travelling to Mexico, California, Texas, or other areas where swine flu cases were reported
Links
Public Health Agency of Canada: hxxp://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/swine_200904-eng.php
U.S. CDC: hxxp://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
World Health Organization: hxxp://www.who.int/en/
Ministry of Health & Long Term Care: hxxp://www.health.gov.on.ca/


Preventing the Spread of Influenza (Flu) in Child Care Centres
Influenza symptoms
Influenza (flu) symptoms include fever, headache,
extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or
stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Nausea, vomiting
and diarrhea may also be seen in children, but are
less likely in adults.
How influenza spreads
Influenza is mainly spread from person to person
through coughing or sneezing. An infected person
coughing and sneezing releases moist droplets into
the air carrying the influenza virus. The droplets
travel through the air, approximately one metre,
reaching the nose and mouth of people nearby.
A person can get the virus by touching
contaminated surfaces, nasal discharge or saliva
from an infected person, and then touching their
own nose, mouth, or eyes before washing their
hands.
Influenza can be spread approximately one day
before symptoms appear and for up to seven days
after, maybe longer in children.
Vaccination: Our best protection
Vaccination against influenza before flu season
each year is the best way to prevent the disease. In
Child Care Centres, vaccination along with other
infection control measures can help to prevent the
spread of influenza among children and staff.
In Ontario, the flu vaccine is free to anyone over
six months of age. The National Advisory
Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends
all healthy individuals six months of age and over
receive the influenza vaccine. NACI emphasizes
the importance of immunizing children six to 23
months of age as well as individuals who provide
child care to these children.
Other tips:
• Encourage yearly vaccination of staff
(including part-time/volunteers) and children.
• Teach and encourage frequent, thorough hand
washing for 15 to 20 seconds with soap and
water.
• Ensure designated hand washing sinks are well
stocked with soap and paper towels.
• Supervise the use of hand sanitizers with
young children and store out of reach.
• Encourage staff to wash hands of infants and
toddlers frequently (hand sanitizers are not
recommended for this age group).
• Remind staff and children to use a tissue, or
their sleeve, to cover their nose and mouth
when sneezing or coughing and to dispose of
the tissue in the garbage and to wash hands.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces, toys and other
commonly shared items frequently. Use an
appropriate and approved disinfectant and
follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Observe children for symptoms of respiratory
illness, especially when influenza is circulating
in the community.
• Encourage parents to keep ill children at home
and ill staff to stay home.

“The Dr. that cures cancer” Dr. Emanuel Revici discovered that ALL forms of viruses are neutralized by fatty acids. Omega3
Got this from
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Stop-The-Swine-Flu
I believe that to be so. When I was a child my mother as most moms of the time would give Fish oil (Cod)
I’m 58 years old and don’t remember having bad colds. I didn’t get sick often.
Not everything works for everyone the same no matter what. But it worked for me and my kids.
Hope this helps.