hey folks this is serious stuff.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/health/Swine_flu_confirmed_in_San_Antonio_area.htmlcut and paste from an email i received, hunters be sure and wear gloves if you have to go hunting.
Please read the information below and share with your family and friends in the local area.
A variant of the H1N1 Swine Influenza was found recently in two local
teenagers, who have both since made a full recovery. The incident points to the need for all of us to be aware of flu prevention measures and proper treatment when we suspect we or our family members have the flu.
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type
A influenza that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine
flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human
infections with swine flu do occasionally occur. Most commonly, human cases
of swine influenza happen in people with direct exposure to pigs. For more
details about the swine flu, visit the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/<http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/> .
Above all, everyone in the Randolph community should know the following:
This variant of the swine flu presents itself like any other flu. Everyone who has been exposed has recovered. The first step in prevention is to avoid contact with pigs. Swine flu is usually contracted from exposure to infected pigs by either farm workers or children at petting farms or fairs. NOTE: You cannot contract swine flu by eating pork.
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular
human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and
coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore
throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
-- Prevent the spread of viruses. Wash your hands with warm water and soap or an alcohol based gel after contact with an ill individual or before eating. Pay particular attention to washing under fingernails and at the base of the fingernail (the cuticle region).
-- Avoid touching your eyes and nose with your fingers as this is the most common route viruses enter the body.
-- Avoid contact with sick individuals. If you are sick with flu like
symptoms (e.g. fever, malaise, body ache, headache, cough, diarrhea,
vomiting), the CDC recommends you stay at home to prevent spreading the
virus to others. In the case of swine flu, the current recommendation by the Texas Public Health Department is that individuals stay home from school or work for one week if they develop flu like symptoms and a fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. People should be aware that their body may continue to shed viruses even after they become symptom free.
-- Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Dispose of used tissue in the trash.
-- Avoid sharing utensils or clothing between well and ill people. If this is necessary, the utensils or clothing must be washed in hot, soapy water between uses. Adding bleach to the solution also improves the eradication of viruses.
-- Using bleach based cleaning agents or a bleach based solution on
contaminated surfaces is effective at killing viruses and preventing the spread of viruses through indirect contact. Viruses may survive for hours or days on surfaces like doorknobs or table tops.
-- In some instances, wearing a surgical mask is appropriate if you are ill with flu like symptoms. Most viruses similar to swine flu exit the body through aerosolized particles (small droplets of water) emitted during coughing or sneezing. If you are being seen in the clinic or an emergency department for flu symptoms with respiratory signs, you will likely be asked to wear a mask by the staff.
-- If you desire medical attention, please go to primary care
manager/facility. If you are severely ill, please go to the nearest
emergency department or call 911.
-- Viral illnesses like swine flu are more dangerous for infants, small
children, the elderly, the ill, and those with a compromised immune system.
Be particularly careful if you are the caregiver for these individuals.
-- Prevention works! The principles above work on the majority of other viruses that infect humans. Apply them in your household and reap the benefits of fewer episodes of the common cold, too!
