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Monday, April 27, 2009

Engage in "Social Distancing" to protect yourself

Susan has just posted about the swine flu:

1. Sanitize -- i.e. Wash Your Hands Frequently. It may sound obvious, but hand-washing with soap and water for around 20 seconds is the single best thing you can do (if you're going to go out into the world and interact with other human beings). The CDC estimates that 80 percent of all infections are spread by hands. If you can't wash your hands regularly, try hand-sanitizers with 60 percent alcohol content.

2. Avoid -- i.e. Engage in "Social Distancing." That's the fancy term for reducing unnecessary social contact, staying away from crowds, and avoiding people if you're sick or if you're concerned that they may be infected. It may not be especially practical when you have to go to, say, work, but experts believe it's worth repeating: Isolation and avoidance reduce your chances of getting infected or infecting others.
I fear being diagnosed OCD or antisocial behavior. Anyway...

3. Be Alert -- i.e. Recognize the Symptoms and Get Help. Swine flu symptoms are similar to regular flu: Fever, body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. If you don't feel well, seek medical attention. So far, it's important to note, this swine flu is treatable (and absolutely survivable). It's resistant to two of four antiviral drugs approved for combating the flu: Symmetrel and Flumadine. But two newer antivirals - Tamiflu and Relenza - appear to work.
WOW... Tamiflu and Relenza!!! Tamiflu has disappear from the market at the time of bird-flu pandemic. Remember?
I don't know any longer if and when must I really take care. Do you trust it?

3 comments:

D Bunker said...

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."

H. L. Mencken

There's Money to be made in this, selling drugs. End of story.

Mark Krusen said...

Hello Ana,

You need to stay away from those repairmen.

Ana said...

D Bunker,

Disease mongering...
What amazes me is that it works and
people will buy Tamiflu and Relenza.
All I know is that if a real pandemia was happening they would not say anything because there would me nothing to sell and they don't like to scare people when there's a real danger.
How many time it took till they talked about Aids?

Mark,

Wow! You are right.
I'll call him not to come this month.
:)