The infamous reports of swine flu have taken the media by storm. The majority of news casts are being filled with swine flu updates and warnings, viewers absorbing any new information they can regarding the recent outbreak of Influenza A. But is the concern of swine flu a legitimate pandemic concern or all hogwash?
There have been more than 150 swine flu deaths in Mexico but the symptoms and strains of the disease appear to be less deadly across the border in the U.S. and Canada. Many theories have been formulated surrounding the causes and various symptoms, but one thing is for sure, the swine flu is a real disease that is claiming lives around the country.
The sheer panic surrounding the threats of influenza have caused countries that don’t even have a single case of the virus to take drastic preventative measures. Egyptian officials have ordered that all 300,000 pigs in the country be slaughtered at once, yet no case of the swine flu has shown to exist in Egypt at this time. Egyptian officials have also put a temporary ban on kissing, claiming that every possible preventative measure should be taken.
Meanwhile, street vendors in Lima Peru have turned an influenza threat into a marketing ploy, selling masks on busy freeways during rush hour traffic. It seems that the facial masks are in high demand as Great Britian has put an order in for 32 million masks. Maplewood, Minn. 3M has increased production of those very facial masks. President Obama has reportedly said that more of the country’s 132,000 schools will have to be shuttered.
All of these supposed precautions are being taken even though world health experts say many of these measures may not stop the disease from spreading. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to the second-highest level, meaning it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent. Numbers from the WHO website stated that nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of Swine Flu.
All the preventative measures can be summed up as simple common sense actions such as washing hands frequently and not sharing beverages or other facial-touching items such as lipstick or hand towels. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Oh, and don’t do this.
For more information about preventative steps and general influenza facts, check out this link.
