Back to School This Week? – 5 Tips to Protect Yourself from Swine Flu

With schools re-opening this week across most of the U.S., there is a great deal of concern and anxiety about the spreading of the Swine Flu virus.  The reason for the concern is legitimate as the H1N1 virus is considered to be extremely contagious; thus due precaution (but not panic) is warranted.  One of the reasons that Swine Flu/other similar types of Influenza that jump from animals to humans are considered especially dangerous is because humans have not had a chance to build any natural immunity against the pathogens that transmit these infections. 

The Novel H1N1 vaccine will be available shortly; however, in the meantime, a few cautions bear reiterating as students and teachers get ready to return to school this week.   Here are the top 5 things you can do to protect yourself pro-actively from catching the virus:

1.  Consciously take several breaks during the day to wash your hand frequently with soap.  Encourage children to do the same.

2.  Do not touch your nose, eyes, or mouth unless you have thoroughly washed your hands.  Avoid hand-to-face contact to the extent possible.

3.  If anyone around you is coughing, sneezing, or has other flu symptoms, deliberately avoid close contact with them.

4.  Carry your own water bottle(s) rather than drink from a community water fountain.  Do not share your water bottle with others.

5.  If there is a Swine Flu breakout in your community, avoid being in public places or large gatherings.  If possible, stay home from work or school temporarily, and avoid traveling by public transportation.

The  simple precautions above can help you to improve your chances of warding off the virus significantly.  In addition to the resources from the Centers for Disease Control provided previously, you may also want to refer to the following special resources from The Harvard Medical School:

1.  A report, entitled:  Swine (H1N1) Flu: How to understand your risk and protect your health.  This report has been prepared by the editors of the Harvard Health Publications in consultation with Raphael Dolin, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

2.  Special health report, entitled: Viruses and Infectious Diseases: Protecting yourself from the invisible enemy.  This report has been prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publications in collaboration with Michael N. Starnbach, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School.

Stay safe, stay well-informed, and protect yourself.