Swine Flu Vaccinations Begin
UK swine vaccination program began today. People who are frontliine workers, i.e. mostly those in the health professions who have to deal with people who are infected are first in line to receive the vaccine, along with those in vulnerable groups.
The vaccination program comes against the latest estimate of new cases in Britain this week. Health officials estimate 27,000 new cases of Swine Flu this week, as opposed 8,000 last week,
Degrees Of Separation
It's has been a few weeks now since swine flu officially became a Pandemic. It's also now over two months since I first posted on this site and whilst 37 days have past, as I didn't post every day, I feel that continuing to post would be useful.
Over the past few days, I've been told of people that I know who have contracted swine flu, and others who either work with or go to school with someone who has been infected.
Global Swine Flu Pandemic - Official
We are now at the highest alert, the World Health Organisation today raised the alert level to 6, officially the swine flu outbreak is at pandemic status. The virus is spreading virulently across 2 continents, America and Australia. The number of cases increase everyday. Although the flu is seen to be mild, it is affecting younger adn healthier people.
Governments that have pursued a policy of containment have now to consider abandoning this policy and moving towards a more pro-active treatment of those who are most vulnerable to infection health officials in the UK stated today.
What Flu Mask To Buy
People who want some protection from swine flu can buy masks to cover the nose and mouth. These act as a barrier to the transmission of particals that may cause infection, however you need to know what type of flu mask to buy.
Many of us have seen news footage and/pictures of mask wearing police and army officers in Mexico, or of people coming off planes with masks over their noses, the most popular masks seem to be the surgical type or the respirator type, which I will discuss further.
Surgical Masks
Schools Close Nearby
I got up this morning and the BBC reports stated that 5 schools have been closed today as pupils have been found to be infected with the H1N1 virus. One of the closed schools is about a mile away from where I live so I know that swine flu is closeby and there is a realistic chance that I will at some point in time succomb.
Over the weekend, I had a touch of fever, aches and pains in my stomach, some coughing as well, however much I tried to dismiss the worse case scenario thoughts at the time, I couldn't helpp thinking, bloody hell, I'm coming down with something.
NHS Swine Flu Leaflet
There is a leaflet available in pdf format that explains what swine flu is and how to take precautions against getting infected, and what to do if you develop some of the symptoms.
Symptoms of Swine Flu
You may be infected with Swine flu, if you get some of these symptoms
- Sudden onset of fever, cough or shortness of breath
- headache
- sore throat
- tiredness
- aching muscles
- chills
- sneezing
- runny nose
- loss of appetite
H1N1 Virus Update
To date, Mexico is the only country that has reported deaths from the current outbreak of the H1N1 virus, most commonly known around the world and reported as swine flu.
Although this is the case, according to the latest WHO update, 15 countries have reported cases amounting to 615 confirmed. The World Health Organization is still reporting that there is no danger from eating well cooked pork meat and are not recommending that borders be closed or that travel to countries reporting infections are limited.
Swine Flu Quarantine Measures
I seem to have got over my paranoia from yesterday, and am back to my usual -'when you're number's up' - type philosophy on life and death. However I do know that I can't afford as a freelancer to be laid up in bed for weeks on end, quarantined with Swine Flu, and not being able to get anything or see anyone.
Do I Need A Swine Flu Mask
Well today I had my first mini panic about swine flu. My journey to work everyday involves train tube tube one way and tube tube train the other.
If you've ever been on London Underground in particular, then you know our system is old, it's packed during rush hour and it's quite the incubator, as being the oldest underground network in the world, as we like to brag, it don't have the greatest air ventilation system.
Swine Flu Threat Level Raised
The headlines are getting bigger, however I am still feeling that the current swine flu stories coming from newspapers is like the Avian flu panic that came around a few years ago. If you follow the headlines, you'll never come out of your house.
I did a little research today and found out that WHO, have raised the threat level to four (out of six)
