UPDATE: “Federal officials today declared a public health emergency involving human swine flu, warning Americans to prepare for widespread outbreaks now or in the future, yet urging them not to panic,” according to the L.A. Times.
After years of worrying about Avian Flu, we are now facing a Swine Flu outbreak. This doesn’t surprise me as all the flu viruses replicate via RNA instead of DNA. This means they mutate easily. In this case a disease that normally is specific to pigs has now crossed over to humans.
I have spent years studying such diseases. Last year I helped start a biohazard recovery unit at a restoration company. I am a hazardous waste operations trainer and in 2007, I spoke at the National Safety Council’s Safety Congress, in Chicago, regarding the threat of infectious disease outbreaks. I know enough not to panic, but yes we do have a problem here – and these outbreaks can be impossible to contain.
Here in Santa Ana we are at particular risk. We have a major airport within close proximity and a population heavy with immigrants – some who have almost certainly traveled to and from Mexico in recent weeks – and that unfortunate country seems to be the epicenter of this outbreak.
While we should not be in a full-blown panic, we do need to read up on this disease and prepare ourselves accordingly As such, here are recommendations specific to residents of affected states, including California, from the CDC (Center for Disease Control):
CDC has identified human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in people in the U.S. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases. We have determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, we have not determined how easily the virus spreads between people. As with any infectious disease, we are recommending precautionary measures for people residing in these areas.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
There is no vaccine available at this time, so it is important for people living in these areas to take steps to prevent spreading the virus to others. If people are ill, they should attempt to stay at home and limit contact with others. Healthy residents living in these areas should take everyday preventive actions.
People who live in these areas who develop an illness with fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, should contact their health care provider. Their health care provider will determine whether influenza testing is needed.
Click here to read more about this outbreak, from the CDC, and click here to read about what the Orange County Department of Public Health has to say about this outbreak.
Also, it is important to note that while there is no vaccine against this disease, there are some medicines available that can help:
CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).
So what do you do if you get sick? Here is what the CDC is recommending:
If you live in San Diego County or Imperial County California or Guadalupe County, Texas and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.
If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomitings
The 99cent stores and dollar trees have small containers of hand sanitizers, 1, 2 3 to a package. They are pocket size and easy to use. Get them for yourself and kids, keep them in your car, house, bags, backpacks and purses.
Use before and right after shaking hands, etc.
Mexico City is shut down and people are dieing. Santa Ana has a significant exposure. Protect yourselves.
Cook,
Good advice. We really need to be cautious as to where we go right now. My advice is that we heed social isolation and stop going to the movies or out to eat. We need to ensure that we have adequate supplies of food and water too.
I just got a call by the way from the National Safety Council’s emergency network, of which I am a member. They are worried and want us to start looking at hygiene practices at work too.
This is for real and we better get ready for the long haul.
Schools are primary sources for the spread of epidemic influenza through a community. Sneeze and cough droplets settle on school desks and other surfaces which are touched by multiple students throughout the day, then enter the body by hand-to-face touching. The most basic preventive actions should be frequent washing of desks, and hand-washing.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/healthcare/influenzaguidance.html
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/school/schoolchecklist.html
http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/home_work_school.htm
Santa Ana’s schools currently have policies that will facilitate the spread of influenza virus.
A single desk will be used by several students throughout a school day, and is the primary target of sneezes and coughs. Custodians told me they are scheduled to wash desks and tables only ONCE each YEAR. Teachers are given no supplies or equipment to do this themselves, although most will keep a spray bottle and sponge to remove comments students frequently write on desks expressing disapproval of their education.
We actively discourage hand washing. Few if any student washrooms are supplied with paper towels. We comply with the minimum requirement by installing just one electric hand drier per washroom. These are rarely used because students have just 7 minutes between classes and face significant consequences if not in their seats by the tardy bell.
If you’re sick stay home. The social isolation is a good idea – I canceled plans to see a movie this weekend.
A good hand wash with soap is sufficient if you scrub for at least 20 seconds.
The electric hand drier does not make sense. You wash your hands and then must touch the on button to activate the hand drier. At least the paper towels are dispensed so you are generally the lone person touching the paper towel.
Twitter at its best. Bookmark this link:
http://twitter.com/cdcemergency
Yes we should be worried about the swine flu pandemic out brake it. Congress must act to stop future pandemic out brakes in the 21st, Century! We need to work on the high tech medicines in the 21st, Century. We are still low tech medicines it is medicine of yesterday.
Obama’s Health care is not a proiorty the getting the vaccines against H1N1 is priority. There is a needs for Primary Care surgeon are need for out future we need to enroll young man, woman into Medical School for Primary Care Physicians we need to trot reform to fables laws among doctors
Salem, New Hampshire
We have not learned since the Great Pandemic of 1918. Americans has forgotten the Great Pandemic out brake of 1918 when there where so many people have died with the Spanish flu out brakes because there no flu vaccines back then. We have the technology today were we do have flu vaccines. We must not forget 1918 during the Great Pandemic Out brakes.
Salem, New Hampshire