Preparing for Swine Flu

Flu Virus

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs. There are many types, and the infection is constantly changing. Until now it has not normally infected humans, but the latest form clearly does, and can be spread from person to person - probably through coughing and sneezing.

What is new about this type of swine flu?

The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before-seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A. H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis.

Symptoms

Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu. These include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.

How worried should we be?

We all die sometime, and flu is already a killer in the UK amongst the old and sick so we shouldn't overstate the problem of one particular flu virus. The big problem for our immune systems comes if the flu mutates sufficiently so that it is no longer recognised by our immune system. This is potentially the problem with swine flu, and perversely it is those who are youngest and fittest in society who haven't the early resistance children have from breastfeeding and who haven't been exposed to as many flu outbreaks as older people who might have the worst cases of flu.

At present there is no vaccine against the Mexican outbreak of swine flu and it will take time to develop. But there is anti-viral medicines which seems to reduce the impact. At the moment the World Health Organisation is giving this present scare a seriousness score of 4 out of 6.

The problem

The real problem with a flu epidemic is not those who get ill, but those who stay off work to look after those who are ill or to avoid getting ill themselves. The problems include:

Public transport may grind to a halt because of absentee staff causing more people to be off or try to use the car.
Schools may close causing other workers to stay at home causing more chaos as more people stay off work.
Supermarkets will be short staffed - as staff do not turn up and/or are looking after others.
Petrol stations may shut because staff or tanker crews are off work.
Essential services maintenance and repair may be postponed. Which means faults, power cuts, water shortages would be more likely and would occur for longer.
Medical and emergency services will be hard stretched due to staff shortages and added calls from people who are not able to cope with small household emergencies because of the lack of assistance from tradespeople, friends and family.
And like everyone else doctors, police, fire, dentists and even vets will be off due to flu, or like everyone else waiting .... in understaffed garages, in checkout queues or at home for plumbers who aren't turning up!

How to Prepare

The basic advice is to prepare so that you personally can cope with the "normal" problems of life like power cuts, faulty household equipment or some food shortage - which may not be resolved as quickly in a flu epidemic and ensure you can get by without burdening the emergency services more than is necessary:

Keep your store full

Keep a supply of essential personal items such as personal medicines, and a first aid kit to avoid unnecessary trips to doctors or pharmacists.
Keep a store of non-perishable food and a means to cook/prepare it.
Keep a supply of hygiene essentials and baby nappies (if you have a baby!).
Keep your petrol tank filled up.
Don't wait to run out of coal or heating oil if you use them.
Keep a bit of spare cash in the home because cash points may not be working as reliably.

Don't let power cuts or other household emergencies catch you out

Have torch, batteries, battery radio and a phone that works without mains.
Ensure you can heat your home and/or have warm clothing.
Ensure you have a store of drinkable water (a gallon/person/day)
Have a means of heating in winter, and warm clothing.

Don't wait to buy or service essentials.

Don't delay servicing the car.
Check the kids don't need new shoes, clothes and yes ... check you have a needle and thread to mend clothes where necessary.
Check the smoke alarm.
When was the gas boiler last serviced?
Is the washing machine on its last legs and about to let you down when all the maintenance staff are refusing home visits?

Finally: Chat to your neighbour

If you don't normally talk to your neighbours, then now is the time to do it. Don't wait until you, your family and everyone else you know who just happens to have been at Auntie Sue's wedding have gone down with flu, to struggle to your neighbour's house to ask if they could just pop down the shops to get a few essentials because you have no one else to turn to.

For more information please see Scottish Government Website.

Don't Panic!

For a bit of light relief see: A cure for pig flu!

Written 28/4/09