With swine flu deaths in Mexico, and increasing incidents of diagnoses even here in New York, we have to ask --should we fear swine flu? The answer is no. Fear is unnecessary. But a healthy respect is definitely important.
Calling swine flu a public health emergency, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did on Sunday, definitely gets our attention. But that doesn't necessarily mean there is a crisis. It means that money gets distributed to public health officials who will take steps to protect us. Let those words remind us to take precautions. But don't be afraid of them.
Swine flu sounds scary because it originally came from pigs, and perhaps because we don't have a way to vaccinate against it, or even cure it. But it behaves just like seasonal influenzas. We catch it the same way, and we can protect ourselves in most of the same ways.
The term "pandemic" has nothing to do with how sick we might get or how many people might die. It simply means this flu is found in several countries around the world. Pan comes from Latin and Greek meaning across or around. Demos means populations or people.
Seeing people wear masks in news reports reminds us of SARS and bird flu from a few years ago. Masks aren't a bad idea, but they don't indicate that the flu is any more dangerous than any seasonal flu. Thousands of people die of seasonal flu each year, but we don't wear masks.
Health officials on the CDC Web site tell us the best precautions against swine or any flu are those common-sense steps we use to keep any contagious illness at bay:
Keep your hands washed and sanitized.
Avoid touching other people. For now, resist greeting others by shaking hands or hugging.
Review travel plans. The CDC has a travel advisory page that stays updated.
If you do get sick, whether or not it's flu, help to protect others by:
Covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, using a tissue or even your sleeve, not your hands. Dispose of tissues immediately.
Staying home from work or school.
An empowered patient realizes that solid background knowledge and active prevention are the best defenses against fear and flu.