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Swine Flu (cont.)

Prevention and Vaccines

Simple measures have been shown to reduce the risk of transmission of influenza. These include frequent hand washing with soap and water or disinfection with alcohol. People should try to avoid touching their face or mucous membranes. The influenza virus can live about two hours on surfaces that become contaminated. During coughs and sneezes, the mouth should be covered with a tissue or a sleeve. In areas with large numbers of cases, it is best to minimize nonessential exposure to crowds. Sick people should stay home whenever possible.

To reduce the risk of spreading the flu to other family members, everyone in the household should wash their hands frequently. Alcohol-based sanitizing gels are available in stores and may be used instead of soap and water when hands are not visibly soiled.

Rarely, if a person has been exposed to a confirmed case of swine influenza, a physician may recommend a course of medications to reduce the risk of disease. This is called "prophylaxis" and is usually reserved for people at very high risk for complications, such as pregnant women. The CDC has issued guidelines for prophylaxis in special circumstances (www.cdc.gov).

A vaccine against swine influenza is available, although supplies have been limited initially . There are two types of vaccine: the nasal vaccine and the shot. The nasal vaccine has a weakened ("attenuated") virus and is administered by sniffing. The nasal vaccine is used for people 2-49 years of age. The injection (shot) does not contain living viruses, only inactivated viruses, and may be given to anyone over the age of 6 months. Your doctor can help you decide which vaccine is best for you. People over the age of 9 years should receive a single dose, whereas children aged 6 months to 9 years will receive two doses one month apart. Because vaccine is in short supply, the CDC recommends that the following groups be vaccinated first: pregnant women, caregivers for infants under 6 months of age, health-care workers, people aged 6 months to 24 years of age, and people age 25-64 who have chronic health conditions. When the shortage resolves, the vaccine will be recommended for all people over 6 months of age.

It is important to point out that the 2009 novel H1N1 vaccine is not related to the 1976 vaccine. The 2009 vaccine is made using the modern process, and the 2009 virus is very dissimilar to the 1976 virus. Preliminary studies have shown that the 2009 vaccine has similar side effects to our modern seasonal influenza vaccines and that these side effects are usually confined to a sore arm. Less commonly, a person may have generalized aches or a low-grade fever. Severe allergic reactions are very rare, but people who have severe egg allergies or previous severe reactions to influenza vaccines should not receive the 2009 novel H1N1 vaccine.

Some people have died from bacterial infections that attack lungs already damaged by influenza. For this reason, the CDC recommends that the pneumococcal vaccine (against Pneumococcus bacteria that may cause pneumonia) be offered to all people with underlying chronic illness and all people over 65 years of age. In addition, people who survive novel H1N1 (swine) flu are still at risk for the regular seasonal flu. For this reason, the CDC continues to recommend the seasonal influenza vaccine be used as recommended.