Swine Flu: The Facts
Words: Ceri Padley (Sprout Editorial Group)
Photo: Яков (Flickr)
Everyone's talking about it, but few people know the real truth. Can you really catch it from eating sausage sarnies? Should we be staying indoors until this is all over?
TheSprout is here to clear up your worries and concerns, and provide some straightforward answers for those questions you've been asking.
Should I be worried? Has swine flu hit Cardiff?
No. While people have been tested for the disease after traveling back from the USA and Mexico, there have been no official confirmed cases in Wales yet.
Currently, there is a very low level of flu activity in the UK. Still, this doesn't mean you shouldn't continue taking necessary precautions.
What is swine flu?
Swine influenza is a disease in pigs. The origin is undetermined and there is no evidence of the strain of the disease circulating in pigs in the UK. There are regular outbreaks of influenza in pigs but it is rare that humans are infected.
Those who are infected are usually people who work in close contact with pigs.
Can I get it from eating pork?
No. You can not get swine flu from eating any pork products.
How would I catch it?
Swine flu spreads in much the same way as human flu. It is highly contagious and spreads through the drops that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes.
Those suffering from swine flu, who don't cover their coughs or sneezes, can spread the disease up to a metre away from them. Moreover, they could also spread it by coughing and sneezing into their hand and touching surfaces which you come into contact with.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to those that come with human flu. These include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing, and sore throat. Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting, diarrhoea and aches and pains in their limbs.
If you appear to have any number of these symptoms, it's important to phone your doctor straight away for a proper diagnosis. Remember, he or she can come out for a home visit if you're very worried.
How dangerous is it?
Those who have suffered from the disease in the UK have had very mild cases, with those affected starting to recover within a week.
Though there have been deaths in Mexico, and one of a toddler in Texas, it is generally thought that the development of pneumonia is what caused them, an illness which the NHS is on red alert for. Pneumonia develops if complications with the flu (just like human influenza) arises but as there have only been mild cases in the UK, this is currently thought to be an unlikely outcome.
Is there a cure?
Yes. Swine flu is currently being treated with antiviral medicines that the UK have stocked up with as a worst case scenario. (More on these treatments can be found at http://www.nhs.uk)
How do I protect myself?
Make sure you take care to cough or sneeze into tissues and dispose of them quickly. Wash your hands regularly in case they've come into contact with the disease and wipe down any surfaces or doorhandles regularly.
But shouldn't I be wearing those facemasks like everyone in the newspaper is?
No. Only healthcare workers have been advised to wear facemasks as they are the ones who will be coming in close contact to current sufferers of the disease. This is only an extra precaution.
There is still no evidence that facemasks protect healthy people as the virus is picked up by infected surfaces or someone sneezing and coughing at a close range.
For more information on Swine Flu:
Call 0800 1 513 513
http://www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu
TheSprout's Health Directory is here.
