Help Stop the Spread of Swine Flu

Knowing there is no Swine Flu vaccination, it's a relief to know that making the vaccine will not take six months as previously thought. Because of genetic engineering progress, scientists can produce the vaccine in 10 to12 weeks, which is still frightening since the flu can spread so quickly. In the meantime, people remain glued to the TV, hoping for good news that the virus is contained. Although the average person has no control over the availability of vaccine, everyone plays a part in taking measures to help prevent the spread of Swine Flu. Good hygiene practices can help prevent a pandemic.

• Wash your hands often. Many times we pick up germs from surfaces and then touch our noses or our mouth. By washing our hands routinely, we prevent spreading germs picked up from infected surfaces.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Although keeping our hands clean will help, we need to guard against providing germs an easy route to our bodies through eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Avoid contact with people who are ill, and also keep your distance from people when you are sick. Stay home if you aren't feeling well.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a napkin when you sneeze or cough.

• Get plenty of rest, eat nutritiously, and be active in order to keep your immune system healthy.

Although following these guidelines is no guarantee that the flu won't attack our bodies, doing so certainly helps prevent its spread. In fact, the previous suggestions are nothing new. They are merely good hygiene practices that we have heard about all our lives. Although nothing is new on the list of suggestions, the list should serve as a reminder that we are not helpless when it comes to protecting our bodies and preventing the spread of illness. We can take charge of maintaining our health all year round, not just when we have a pandemic scare.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090429/hl_time/08599189462500