Today we are more at at more risk from various strains of the influenza virus than we have for a very long time. We had great concerns about bird flu, but now swine flu has manifested as a major problem. Swine flu is of more problem than bird flu. It was a worry that bird flu may mutate into a strain that might infect humans, apart from a few cases, this has not materialized so far.

Swine flu is of more concern, it has the ability to pass between humans which makes it a very serious health problem.  What is swine flu. Swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), is an illness that effects pigs, it is the result of a flu virus. Outbreaks of swine flu in pigs is common and is only rarely fatal. Swine flu does not normally infect humans, but it can happen occasionally when humans have been close contact with infected pigs.

Swine flu is a new strain of virus and therefore is extremely dangerous. This means that no one has had contact with this particular strain before, and therefore no one has built up any immunity to this particular virus. It is our built in immunity that prevents infections from becoming life threatening, without inbuilt immunity we have no defense from the virus. Absolutely everyone is vulnerable, including healthy adults as well as young children and elderly citizens.

Swine flu can easily result in a pandemic flu situation. Pandemic flu occurs when a flu virus develops that is very different from previous flu strains that very few, if any, people have any immunity to. This lets the influenza virus to spread widely and rapidly in the population.

Seasonal flu and swine flu are different as detailed below  Seasonal influenza occurs annually during the winter, with about 10 to 15 percent of the population will be affected and the majority of people recover within one to two weeks with no medical treatment. Ordinary flu is generally only risky to the elderly and those with conditions that make them more vulnerable to implications from an infection.

A pandemic flu outbreak affects far more of the population and up to half the population affected. Pandemic Influenza affects people of all ages.

Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of seasonal influenza. These can include sudden onset of fever, a cough or a shortness of breath. Symptoms that may be present may include headache, sore throat, muscle aches, chills, sneezing, a runny nose, loss of appetite and tiredness.

So what precautions can we take. Anyone showing cold or flu symptoms should take some easy precautions. The flu virus spreads between people from the small droplets from the nose and mouth when someone sneezes or coughs. This is how viruses like swine flu are spread through the population. Covering your nose or mouth with your hands when you cough or sneeze is not effective enough. The germs remain on your hands, and everything you touch afterwards becomes contaminated with the virus. Other people can then touch these surfaces and become infected. Always use a handkerchief or disposable tissue. A tissue is much better, this should be disposed of safely as soon as possible, and always use a fresh tissue when you cough or sneeze again.

A vaccination against swine flu is not available. The vaccination for ordinary influenza is not effective in the fight against swine flu. By the time a vaccination is discovered, it can take many months to make, by which time the virus might have changed again making a new vaccination possibly ineffective.

The best precaution you can take against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu isn’t guaranteed to prevent swine flu, but when someone has been in contact with someone else who has the swine flu virus, it may help in stopping the virus making a person sick. If Tamiflu is administered in the first 48 hours of acquiring the swine flu virus, it can help to stop the flu virus from spreading through the body, reducing the symptoms and the risk associated with the flu virus. Governments worldwide are stockpiling Tamiflu, but these supplies will be used in treating important workers before the general population.

however you buy Tamiflu online, if the situation arises you are able to offer as much protection as is possible to yourself and family. Although it can’t be emphasized enough, Tamiflu does need to be administered as soon as is possible to be effective, delays in treating the virus will diminish the effectiveness of Tamiflu.

Also, remember, swine flu is a worldwide danger. If an outbreak becomes global it is a possibility that supplies of Tamiflu may be diminished and may not be enough to meet a large global demand.  Until a vaccine is found and manufactured in the quantities needed, Tamiflu is the only really effective treatment for swine flu, it would therefore be prudent to buy Tamiflu beforehand if you feel you or your loved ones are at risk.

Disclaimer: This post is based on information freely available in {the popular#the} media and medical journals concerned with swine flu. Nothing in this posting is intended to be or should be taken to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice you are encouraged to consult your own doctor.

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