• 27
  Aug
  2009

• Swine flu: Preparing for the second wave

  Filed Under: News

A historical perspective of pandemic outbreaks suggests that most viral diseases attack a second time, and generally more severely than the first instance. Swine Flu A (H1N1) is expected to strike once more too.

A vaccine for H1N1 is under testing and if all goes well, it may be available for public somewhere in mid-October. They will be provided to the general public with a certain priority. Health workers, pregnant women, and people with a higher chance of infection and/or more chances of complications will be given higher preference.

As governments the world over are preparing to handle a higher number of patients and making more medical facilities available for the public, here is what you and I can do to tackle Swine Flu -

1. Wash hands with a disinfectant hand wash many times a day. Avoid bar soaps, use liquid soaps in public places.


2. Sneeze and cough etiquette has never been more important than now. When in classes or anywhere in the school with people around, be extra careful.


3. During the time it takes to get the H1N1 vaccine declared safe for humans and mass produced, take extra care. Get a seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it is available in your school/university or a nearby clinic.


4. Buy medical insurance, if you don't already have it. Like they say, better safe than sorry.