Swine flu is of more concern, it has the ability to spread between people making it a very serious health problem.  What exactly is swine flu. Swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), is an illness that infects pigs, swine flu is the result of a flu virus. Swine flu outbreaks in pigs is common but is only rarely fatal. Swine flu doesn’t usually infect people, but it can occasionally happen when people have been in close contact with infected pigs.

Swine flu is a unknown type of virus and is therefore very dangerous to people. No one has been in contact with this particular type previously, which means no one has developed any immunity. With no built in immunity a virus is life threatening, as our bodies are unable to fight the virus. Absolutely everyone is susceptible, this includes healthy adults as well as the young and elderly citizens.

Swine flu could easily give rise to a pandemic flu situation. A pandemic flu situation occurs when a flu virus develops that is dissimilar to previous influenza strains that few, if any, humans have any sort of immunity to. This allows the influenza virus to spread widely and rapidly throughout the population.

Pandemic flu is different from ordinary flu as follows.  Seasonal influenza happens yearly during the winter, 10 to 15 percent of the population will be infected and the majority of people recover in 1 to 2 weeks without medical treatment. Ordinary flu is usually only of risk to the elderly and people with conditions that result in them being more vulnerable to serious implications from the infection.

A pandemic flu outbreak affects many more of the population and up to half of all people infected. It also affects people of every age.

Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of seasonal influenza. These can include a sudden onset of a fever, cough or shortness of breath. Symptoms that may also present themselves can include headaches, sore throats, muscle aches, sneezing, chills, runny nose, loss of appetite and tiredness.

What precautions should you take. First, anyone with cold or flu symptoms needs to take some easy precautions. The influenza virus spreads between people by the tiny droplets from the mouth and nose when someone sneezes or coughs. This is how viruses are spread from person to person. Using your hands when you sneeze or cough is not effective enough. The virus remain on your hands, and everything you touch afterwards becomes contaminated with the virus. Other people can touch these surfaces and become infected with the virus. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or tissue. A disposable tissue is far better, this should be disposed as soon as possible, and always use a new tissue if you cough or sneeze again.

Currently there are no vaccinations to prevent anyone catching swine flu. Swine flu is an unknown type of virus. The seasonal vaccination against the normal seasonal influenza is not effective against swine flu. When the strain of flu causing swine flu is found, it will take several months to manufacture. By this time, it may have mutated into a different type.

The best precaution you are able to take against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu isn’t guaranteed for the prevention of swine flu, but after someone has been in contact with another individual who has the swine flu virus, Tamiflu will help in stopping the flu virus making a person ill. If Tamiflu is taken in the first 2 days of contracting the flu virus, it may help in stopping the virus spreading throughout the body, reducing the symptoms and risk associated with the virus. Governments worldwide are stockpiling Tamiflu, these supplies will be used in treating key workers and individuals before the population at large.

You can however buy Tamiflu online, so if the situation arises you can protect yourself and your loved ones as much as possible. It cannot be emphasized enough, Tamiflu does need to be administered as soon as possible for it to be effective, any delays in treatment will reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu.

Also, remember that swine flu is a global problem. Should a pandemic outbreak become global it is a possibility that supplies of Tamiflu may be low and may not be high enough to meet a large global demand.  Until a vaccine is discovered and manufactured in the quantities needed, Tamiflu is the only really effective treatment for swine flu, it is therefore be prudent to buy Tamiflu in advance if you feel you are at risk.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information that is freely available in {the popular#the} press and medical journals related to swine flu. Nothing in this article is intended to be or should be taken to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice you are encouraged to consult your own healthcare worker.