H1N1 flu is also known as swine flu. It's called swine flu because in the past, the people who caught it had direct contact with pigs. That changed several years ago, when a new virus emerged that spread among people who hadn't been near pigs.
In 2009, H1N1 was spreading fast around the world, so the World Health Organization called it a pandemic.
Swine flu is contagious, and it spreads in the same way as the seasonal flu. When people who have it cough or sneeze, they spray tiny drops of the virus into the air. If you come in contact with these drops or touch a surface (such as a doorknob or sink) that an infected person has recently touched, you can catch H1N1 swine flu.
Despite the name, you can't catch swine flu from eating bacon, ham, or any other pork product.
Swine Flu Symptoms
People who have swine flu can be contagious one day before they have any symptoms, and as many as 7 days after they get sick. Kids can be contagious for as long as 10 days.Like seasonal flu, swine flu can lead to more serious complications, including pneumonia and respiratory failure. And it can make conditions like diabetes or asthma worse. If you have symptoms like shortness of breath, severe vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness.
Most symptoms are the same as seasonal flu. They can include:
- cough.
- fever.
- sore throat.
- stuffy or runny nose.
- body aches.
- headache.
- chills.
- fatigue.
Who is at high risk?:
- Children under 5 years old
- People 65 or older
- Children and teens (under age 18) who are getting long-term aspirin therapy, and who might be at risk for Reye's syndrome after being infected with swine flu. Reye's syndrome is a life-threatening illness linked to aspirin use in children.
- Pregnant women
- Adults and children who have chronic lung, heart, liver, blood, nervous system, neuromuscular, or metabolic problems
- Adults and children who have suppressed immune systems (including those who take medications to suppress their immune systems or who have HIV)
- People in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Things you can do to stay healthy:
- Wash your hands frequently every day with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds; especially before meals, or each time after touching a surface that you suspect could be contaminated with flu virus such as a door handle or a knob/handle, especially if you have returned from a public place or used public transport. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers should be kept handy at all times and used until you can get soap and warm water.
- Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hand as it travel through nose and mouth.
- Avoid people who are sick.
- Burn Camphor daily in your home, as it purifies air.
- Use dettol for cleaning purpose.
- Take Camphor powder and Green cardamom powder in equal ratio. Keep it with you in your handkerchief and sniff it once in a day.
- Use mask at public places.
Medicine:
Influenzinum 200 medicine to be taken once a week as a preventive measure for swine flu.
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