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To prevent Swine Flu:
Do’s
Wash your hands frequently with soap & water
Use handkerchief while sneezing & coughing. Change Handkerchief
daily.
Drink lots of water
Eat a healthy diet
Get adequate rest.
Don’ts
Don’t go in crowed places like theatres, shopping malls
Don’t take medicines without doctor’s consultations
Don’t spit on the roads/public spaces
DON’T PANIC
In case a swine flu case is detected at a particular campus –
To inform Medical Officer, SCHC Campus to remain
non-instructional for 7 days
Fumigation of the campus by Municipal Authorities
In case of any medical problem, contact Medical Officer at SCHC
at respective campus/ Chief Medical Officer/Deputy Director,
SCHC/Director, SCHC. Medical Officer, SCHC will track and do the
follow-up of the suspected cases of Swine Flu and/or positive
cases of Swine Flu. SCHC will communicate the updated guidelines
as directed by Government / Municipal Corporation from time to
time to all the Directors and update the website of SCHC.
FAQs about Swine Flu
1.What is H1N1 Influenza A (Swine Flu)?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease affecting pigs that is caused
by type A influenza virus. Swine influenza viruses may circulate
among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during
the late fall and winter months, similar to influenza outbreaks
in humans. It causes high levels of illness but low death rates
in pigs.
2.Does Swine Flu affect humans?
Swine flu viruses that cause disease in pigs very rarely affect
humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have
occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with
direct exposure to pigs but there have also be documented cases
of human-to-human spread of swine flu.
3.How does Swine Flu spread to humans?
Swine flu spread to humans mainly through contact with infected
pigs, which shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions and
feces. Limited human-to human transmission can also occur in the
same way as seasonal flu occurs in people.
4.Can people catch Swine Flu from eating pork?
There is currently no evidence to suggest that swine flu can be
transmitted to humans from eating pork or pork products that
have been thoroughly cooked.
5.What are the symptoms of Swine Flu in humans?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar
to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza. An early
symptom is fever, and this is followed by cough, sore throat,
runny nose and sometimes breathlessness a few days later.
6.How can human infections with swine flu be diagnosed?
To diagnose swine flu, a respiratory specimen would generally
need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of the illness
(when an infected person is most likely to be shedding the
virus). However, some persons, especially children may shed the
virus for 10 days or longer.
7.What medications are available to treat swine flu infections
in humans?
There are four different antiviral drugs for the treatment of
influenza:
amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir. At this
time the US CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or
zanamivir (Helena) for treatment and/or prevention of infection
with swine flu viruses.
8. Is it safe to visit countries with cases of Swine Flu and
will I be quarantined
when I return? What travel precautions should I take?
The State Department recommends that "U.S. citizens avoid all
nonessential travel to Mexico at this time." Some tour operators
and airlines across the globe have canceled flights and holiday
packages to sunshine destinations like Cancun and Cozumel. To be
sure, contact your operator or airline.
9. What should I do if I suspect I have swine flu after
returning from a
country that has cases of swine flu? You should consult your doctor as soon as possible and inform
your doctor if you have symptoms of swine flu and had recently
traveled to area which have cases of swine flu.
10. What should I do if I fall ill overseas? You should consult a local doctor as soon as possible and
refrain from Traveling until you are certified fit by the
doctor.
11. Does influenza vaccination help prevent Swine Flu? There is no vaccine to protect humans from swine flu. The
seasonal influenza vaccine is unlikely to protect against H1N1
swine flu viruses.
12. Should we be worried about Swine Flu? No - but we should take sensible precautions and stay
informed. The World Health Organization has warned that the
outbreak has "pandemic potential" and countries have been
advised to step up surveillance and preparation in case the
infection spreads rapidly.
13. Does swine flu pose a more serious threat to pregnant women? All viruses are potentially dangerous to pregnant women as their
immune systems are under extra strain - but they should be fine
if they eat well and keep up essential minerals.
14. How long does the flu virus survive on surfaces? The flu virus survives for roughly 24 hours on hard surfaces,
two hours on soft surfaces.
15. Steps taken by Government of India to prevent outbreak of
Swine flu? a. The strategy is basically to detect early cases among the
passengers coming from the affected countries either by air,
road or ship.
b. The Government has launched a massive mass media campaign to
inform and educate people on dos and don’ts.
c. Sharing information with public through media.
APPEAL
People who have travelled from the affected countries in the
past ten days
and show symptoms of influenza A (H1N1) like fever, cough, sore
throat
and difficulty in breathing should immediately contact the
telephone
number given below or the nearby Government Hospital.
IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS:
Outbreak Monitoring Cell (Control Room, NICD): 011-23921401
Important Websites:
www.mohfw.nic.in; www.nicd.nic.in
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