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Swine Flu Misconceptions
November 7, 2009 |
Thanks to television and the internet, information about the H1N1 virus or swine
flu is everywhere.
But what’s fact? And what’s fiction?
“Some of the myths are, ‘ Well, I never get the flu therefore I am not going to
get it now’. Past history does not mean in the future you won’t. Especially in one
like this which is new,” says Steve Streed, System Director of Epidemiology.
The elderly and the young have always been the focus in past flu outbreaks, but
this strain is impacting people of all ages.
“The attack curve on who’s getting
sick with this virus and who’s having the most problems with it is sort of completely
different than the usual flu. So in many respects, the people who are most otherwise
the most healthy are the highest risk of this particular influenza,” suggests Streed.
How you handle the symptoms are important, too. If you have a fever, dry cough,
or achiness, you should contact your physician or you could head to an LMHS Convenient
Care Center for an examination. “One of the problems is that many people think,
‘Well, I have the flu’ and they are showing up in the ER, and they and their families
are waiting in this common mixing bowl,” explains Streed.
As researchers work on more vaccines, and understand this particular virus, it’s
important to not let your guard down. “Hand washing. Covering your mouth when you
cough, sneeze, that sort of thing. Avoidance. Its not that we need to be paranoid
about things, because like we’ve seen, a lot of people have come down with it,”
says Dr. Shannon Greer, a family practice physician.
Keep those hands washed regularly and do not go out in public if you suspect you
have the virus.
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