Swine flu was first documented in the early twentieth century and then resurfaced in 1976.  It was carefully contained by a program of inoculation and the disease stepped back into history for a time.

The disease resurfaced in Veracruz, Mexico, in April 2009 in a four year old boy.  It was quickly spread throughout towns in Mexico; in La Gloria, sixty percent of the population fell under the disease and sought medical care.  Just over a week later, doctors noticed that the disease was strengthening into respiratory problems, namely pneumonia.  The next day, the Center for Disease Control discovered that two children in Southern California had contracted the same disease in late March.  The flu began to spread through California and Texas, prompting fear and scrambles for ways to stymie its spread, such as face masks; as well as demands for a cure.  Mexico shuts down much of its infrastructure as confirmed cases begin pouring in.  By the end of April, the disease has cases in America, Canada, Spain, and New Zealand; all among people who had recently visited Mexico. The World Health Organization stepped up its alert to Phase Four.  The disease quickly spreads to the Middle East and Asia.  By the end of April, one month since the disease was spotted; there are hundreds of cases and one American death.

By May, the disease is going fairly strong with many confirmed cases, though only a few deaths.  However, Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Mexico are cancelled and three boars in a zoo are killed.  By the end of May one twenty year old man in Salt Lake City is dead and most people know that the disease hits young adults as surely as it hits the elderly and children.  This maintains an atmosphere of carefully contained fear and worry among the population of most countries.  Doctors stepped up their efforts to create a vaccination.

By June 11, the WHO declares the swine flu a pandemic, the first one in just over forty years. Reports are streaming all over the internet about how to prevent the disease, symptoms, causes, and no fear panic stricken reports.  There are also many advertisements for prevention medicines to keep from getting the flu in the first place such as zanamivir and oseltamivir which are antiviral agents that can help alleviate many of the symptoms of the flu.  There is no vaccination yet, but one is expected to hit the markets by fall, or even late summer.

The reason that the swine flu became so quickly widespread is because it is a compilation of four different influenza which grouped together to create a flu that humans have little immunity to.  This allows the virus to spread through the human population very quickly and easily.  There will be a vaccination, but it is still in the works and in the meantime, the disease is being allowed to spread.  This is one of the main reasons that the disease is being touted as a pandemic by the World Health Organization and many fear that it will turn into epidemic.  This has prompted many people to buy things like face masks to keep the virus out.  Face masks work very well in keeping people free from the swine influenza, but there are other ways of making sure that this disease will not turn into an epidemic and these are simple things that anyone can do.

Washing your hands with plenty of soap or water is the easiest way to prevent the spread of viruses.  Wearing a face mask is also another way to protect yourself from the virus, but you should probably only have to wear one if you’re going to an area with a high rate of influenza, otherwise, you might feel a bit silly. Many people are still traveling to places like Mexico where there is a high rate of influenza and they are simply taking stronger measures to protect themselves successfully.

If you do get sick, it’s best to simply quarantine yourself for the duration of the illness and only be tended by one person instead of an entire household.  Stay home from work/school and take care of yourself so that the disease won’t spread or make you sicker.

Finally, it was proven by doctors and scientists that the swine flu is not transferable through pork products such as bacon and ham as long as you cook the pork properly.  There is no reason to fear pork products, so if you enjoy bacon with your breakfast, you can keep enjoying it.

In short, by doing these simple things, you can help prevent the swine flu from being epidemic and keep everyone around you healthy.

The common symptoms of the swine flu are: fever, cough, sore throat, aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting.  However, in some cases, the swine flu can grow worse and cause complications in conditions such as heart problems, diabetes, and asthma; as well as cause pneumonia and respiratory failure in the worst cases.  These complications progress very quickly and have to be treated immediately in order to prevent permanent damage or death.

The symptoms of swine flu become apparent between three and five days after exposure to the virus and persist for about a week.  You are contagious for around eight days; from the day before your symptoms are apparent until the symptoms clear up.  During this time, it’s best to quarantine yourself to the best of your ability in order to prevent further spread.

The swine flu is perfectly treatable with some care, plenty of fluids, some over the counter drugs such as Tylenol, and common sense about staying home.  The symptoms are very uncomfortable-you may feel as though you’ve had the worst flu of your life-but there is no reason for this influenza to be fatal or even damaging with a little care and forethought. You should still see your doctor if you have these symptoms and have recently traveled to a place where the swine flu is prevalent; your doctor can test you for the flu and give you advice on what to do in order to get better faster and keep it from spreading.  Your doctor can also make sure that you will have no complications from the illness.  Anyone should see their doctor about this illness if they are worried, for it has been known to strike young, healthy adults as badly as it hits elders and children.  In the end however, the best thing you can do for yourself is to have some common sense while you are ill and stay home to take care of yourself for the duration.

The most common side effects for the swine flu vaccination are as follows:

• Soreness at the site of the injection (most commonly on the arm)
• Aching muscles
• Fever
• Feeling ‘off’, minor flu-like feeling
• In children, there may be headaches or chills

These are the same side effects one might get from any flu vaccination and should be nothing to worry about. They almost always only last one or two days. If you have any true concerns, speak to your doctor about it; and ask about any painkillers to take if any soreness or aching muscles bothers you. Most likely, it will be recommended that you take painkillers and have some rest.  Children may find Children’s Tylenol to be soothing for example. However, always check with your doctor to find out exactly what you can take for any discomfort.

Even these minor side effects are uncommon, about the same rate as with any influenza vaccination.  They are certainly no reason to not go in for the vaccination if you think you might be at risk, if you have young children, are pregnant (second to third trimester) or elderly.

The swine flu vaccination is still in the works and is expected to take anywhere from another two to four months to mass produce safely.  However, getting it when it is available as soon as possible will give the medicine the time it needs to work before flu season hits in force, and in the case of swine flu, in preparation for another outbreak, should one occur.

The most serious side effects are as follows:

• Allergic reactions, ranging from hives to a rare condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome which causes nerve damage, muscle weakness and fever.  The 1976 Swine Flu vaccination had a few cases of GBS; however, these were at a rate of about one in one million.
• Death from a severe allergic reaction.

However, it must be underscored that these conditions are very rare and should not deter you from exploring the swine flu and other flu vaccinations.

The following people should not have the flu vaccination and have to explore other means of protecting themselves from the swine flu and other influenza:

• If you are allergic to eggs, then the risk of contracting an allergic reaction to swine flu vaccinations and other vaccinations rises dramatically, so it’s best to avoid the risk altogether.  This is because egg proteins are used as part of the vaccination.
• If you have shown hypersensitivity to other vaccinations
• If you have contracted HBS from a prior vaccination in the last six months
• If you have a fever or are sick from something other than a cold or other minor illness such as die rhea or earaches, then your immunization should be postponed.

A full swine flu vaccination is still in the works and is expected to join the flu vaccination rotation in the fall; however, it is still best to know the facts about possible side effects as early as possible so you may make the best decision possible about this vaccination.