Swine flu is here. But before we all rush into an apocalyptic orgy of looting and happy-slapping, let's look at the facts.
Swine flu is different from the normal flu virus. It is new, so science and the human body have not had time to develop immunity - everyone is at risk.
In the UK, there are 100,000 cases and counting. Pregnant women and children under five are likely to be the most vulnerable.
In it's current guise, swine flu is not particularly deadly. The virus has claimed 29 lives in the UK; regular flu kills around 6,000 a year. It could mutate into something more lethal, but there is no sign of this.
News like this just didn't hit me before Luca. I'm not on crack, too soft to be in a gang, and I like my odds of not getting hit by a nuclear bomb. National and global threats seem to come and go without much impact. I watch the news, feel sorry for the victims and boo the baddies, but it never seems like I really need to worry about it.
Now I look at Luca; asking only for food, sleep and love. What do we do if he gets swine flu? More importantly, what can we do to stop him getting it? This is a haphazard summary of what I've gathered so far.
Wash hands frequently and keep kids away from crowds. If you or baby get flu-like symptoms, be ready to recognise them:
- sudden onset of fever
- dry cough
- sore throat
- diarrhoea
- headache
Most of these are fairly obvious to spot. If you see the symptoms, visit the National Pandemic Flu Service website, or call them on 0800 1 513 513.
Stay at home so you don't spread it, drink lots of water and take paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve symptoms. The latter are available in baby doses, but ask a professional exactly what you should do.
Don't listen to scare stories. Do use freely available information from the NHS.
Most cases will clear up without drama.
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You're right not to panic, it may turn out that the media hysteria does more damage than the actual virus.
ReplyDeleteSymptoms you left out include tiredness, chills, aching muscles, limb or joint pain, stomach upset, runny nose, sneezing, and loss of appetite.
Nice one Gabe. I feel a lot better about things. In fact if it wasn't for this damn chesty cough I'd feel in tip top shape.
ReplyDeleteHowever I would give up any dreams you may have to be a headline writer for The Daily Mail. Your reasoned, intelligent use of facts to support your story isn't really what they're looking for.
I came down with a sever case of hysteria yesterday.
ReplyDeletewhoops, I mean severe
ReplyDeleteFor sure, we all want to know what we can do to avoid the deadly swine flu. As the virus spreads in other countries outside of Mexico, the scare has also heightened as this swine flu has killed numbers. If you want to find out some tips to avoid swine flu and stay healthy, here are a few of them that you might find useful.
ReplyDeleteUltraMeal Calm PRT