Facemasks and hand sanitizer are a common sight nowadays. What do these items have in common? Many people are buying them in response to a pandemic that is sweeping the nation, the H1N1 virus, most commonly known as swine flu.
Should people truly be worried about this?
Background information:
Swine flu was declared a pandemic on June 11, 2009, after an outbreak in Mexico, and has spread in “much the same way that the regular seasonal flu spreads,” according to CDC.gov.
It was said to originate from pigs, although the CDC (Center for Disease Control) states that it normally “circulates in pigs…and bird genes and human genes.” This means that humans have likely had the virus all along; it just hasn’t surfaced until now.
Why are people worried?
Kim Baker, a pharmacist at the Walgreens in Issaquah says, “Swine flu has been around for years, it’s just been in remote places. Because of travel, it’s spread world wide. Every year, flu strains are chemically tested to see which ones there are, and the swine flu is just a different strain.”
“People are freaking out because of the deaths of people who had no previous health conditions. It has symptoms just like that of a normal flu, and the only way to tell if you have it is to get tested for it,” says Baker.
The media made people believe that if they were sick, they had the swine flu. They made it seem like it was a killer disease that was out to get people. However, fewer than 500 people have died according to Baker.
What is it like to have it?
Kim Mitchell, a junior at WSU in Pullman, and sister of GRCC student Nikki Mitchell, was at school during the outbreak and knew many friends who suffered through the illness.
“People should be concerned if they live in a highly populated area, but not to the extent that was shown on TV,” says Mitchell.
“Some of my friends had the swine flu and experienced normal flu symptoms such as sore throat, cough, fever, and diarrhea; they recovered in four to five days and they are fine now,” she said.
“People are freaking out because it reminds them of the 1918 flu pandemic. It’s usually people with a compromised immune system who die,” she added.
Should we be concerned?
Having the swine flu does not necessarily mean a person is going to die. People who are normally healthy, appear to bounce right back to health. “Of course, they point directly to the swine flu when it could just be the common cold,” explains GRCC student Darleen Jara, when asked about whether the media is blowing things out of proportion.
“It’s overrated, and people need to calm down. If people don’t have doctors [like in some Mexico cases], then they could die. If you have a doctor and you go, then you will be fine; it hits you hard, but you are okay afterwards,” says GRCC student Kristen Harlor.
*Prevention:
To prevent this disease people can, according to the CDC, do these things:
Stay home when sick.
Wash hands frequently.
Get vaccinated against it.
Etc.
If interested in getting the vaccine against the swine flu, it will be “available everywhere the regular flu shot is offered, such as pharmacies and doctors offices,” says Baker.
Top priority for the vaccine, according to Baker, will be:
The elderly.
Health care workers.
Young children.
People who are already at risk for catching swine flu.
Conclusion
. “It’s up to the individual if they want to get the vaccine or not. The CDC says it will help, but there is no data for it yet,” adds Baker.
“I wouldn’t get it [the swine flu vaccine] because I think they should study more [about] the swine flu and try to see if this is something we all MUST get,” states Jara.
Only time will tell if the vaccine is really worth taking. For now, all we can do is not freak out, stay as healthy as possible and distance ourselves if we become sick.
*For more information about the swine flu vaccine and precautions against it, visit the CDC sine flu website page at: http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
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