Some Pig: Swine Flu Really IS Too Legit to Quit

Back when Swine Flu was a mere piglet, I wrote a blog post about the growing mass hysteria caused by the virus. I'm sure you remember back then, when all of us were completely inundated by everything Swine Flu-related. And then conspiracy theorists emerged. Some blamed the media for trying to incite fear in an attempt at breathing new life into their industry. And honestly, I agreed with them. It felt as though the media wanted to prove its impact on our lives.

And it worked. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing or hearing some mention of the virus. It was a harsh storm that seemed like it would never subside. But then, nearly as quickly as it had begun - the storm died down. The media nearly zipped its lips - and what had been a near-deafening clamor quieted to a dull roar.

But now, nearly a month and a half later, here in Massachusetts we've seen our first Swine Flu death. The pig just won't quit. The flu, itself, has spread worldwide affecting ~76 countries. Here in the States, publications broadcast their death tolls like sports scores: Illinois: 8, Michigan: 5, Connecticut: 4; New York City: 23. The flu has caused about 1,600 hospitalizations and about 45 deaths in the USA alone. Other articles approximate the worldwide total - Swine Flu: 163.

What's confusing is that it seems to be getting worse. Apparently, now nearly 90% of all flu cases tested nationally are of the Swine, H1N1 variety. What started as a small blip on the radar has really become an official pandemic. Some believe that the reason it has spread is because the initial outbreak among healthcare workers was not handled correctly or diagnosed early enough.

What's strange is that regular flu and H1N1 share the same symptoms. And like the regular flu, the Swine variety should theoretically only turn deadly when it infects those whose immune systems are already compromised. The elderly, babies, and those with underlying illnesses like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease are the ones being hospitalized.

For those who have contracted the virus, the symptoms mimic the seasonal flu: fever, cough, aches, and pains, but no serious side effects and, in many cases, no visit to the doctor. And while most of these cases don't turn into life-or-death situations - there is a chance that these people could infect others who could possibly die from it. Swine Flu fights dirty. It kicks you hardest you when you're already down.

This is exactly why hospitals need to take specific precautions to keep those with the flu quarantined. Hospitals have such a range of susceptible patients. “Infectious patients should be identified at the front door,” Dr. Michael Bell says, “identifying them up front is essential.”
From there, hospitals should:

• put infectious patients in single rooms
• cover their mouth and nose with masks
• alert staff members to wear protection and wash their hands
• do medical procedures in pressurized rooms where no air escapes into corridors

I can't help but think that these "new" procedures sound very similar to the usual hospital fare.

And though there are still new reports daily about Swine Flu outbreaks - it's important that we maintain composure despite the inclination to panic. We have to try our best look for good news - because it does exist. For example, last Friday, Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG announced that they had successfully produced a first batch of Swine Flu Vaccine - weeks before expected. Other drugmakers are also producing shots to prevent the virus. These vaccines will be available for sale later this September.

The US Dept of Health and Human Services placed a $289 million order for the vaccine in May. And this week, Sanofi-Aventis SA promised to donate 100 million doses of swine-flu vaccine to the W.H.O to insure that poor nations also have access to the vaccine. Other companies are donating millions of vaccines too, which is great news for less affluent countries. Real proof that we're watching out for each other worldwide.

And until the pig has finally been cooked - we can guarantee the media will be chattering, spreading talk of the flu everywhere. Ie: "Swine flu wedding: Flu can't stop lovesick couple".

But all we can really do is keep washing our hands, eat healthy, rest up, and at most - avoid public gatherings and stay home from work if we're feeling a bit off. It's even possible that the impending hot, humid days of summer could stop the virus from spreading in the USA and Mexico.

Join the discussion!

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