by Zachary Williams

Created on: October 19, 2009   Last Updated: October 24, 2009

Flu season is here, and many fear a pandemic of a new strain: the Swine Flu. Originating in Mexico, the Swine Flu-also known as H1N1-has made quite a few people scared. And while their fears are not completely unfounded, it is not as deadly as many fear. At least, not yet. Currently, many of the deaths attributed to H1N1 have also had other underlying conditions, such as asthma. However, the virus has been described as unstable, meaning that as flu season arrives, the likelihood of a deadly new strain evolving increases.

The symptoms of the swine flu closely mimic those of other, older flues. As such, you should expect two or more of the following symptoms:

*Unusual tiredness

*Headache

*Cough

*Aching muscles

*Sore throat

*Shortness of breath

*Runny nose

*Loss of appetite

*Diarrhea or vomiting

*Fever

If you fear you have H1N1, don't panic. The confirmed death rate caused by H1N1 around the world is only .4%. Even this is likely to be an overstatement, as many H1N1 sufferers probably failed to seek medical attention when they contracted it. Th best thing you can do is to stay home. If you have an underlying condition, such as heart disease, asthma or anything that weakens your immune system, then give your doctor a call. You can check your symptoms using an online service provided by the United Kingdom government: https://www.pandemicflu.direct.gov.uk/. Monitor your condition. Make sure your thermometer is working and keep track of your temperature. One metric is that if you have a fever as a symptom, then stay home as much as is possible until one day after your temperature drops below 100 degrees f. Try your best to stay away from other people. The last thing that needs to happen is for you to infect others. If you live with other people, then make sure you take basic sanitary measures such as sneezing into tissues, not touching your nose, etc. H1N1 should run its course in a week.

Your first line of defense against H1N1 is common sense. Don't touch your eyes and nose, wash your hands, and monitor the news about the outbreak. Vaccines are coming to help prevent it, so when those are available, make sure to get vaccinated. If you get sick with something other than H1N1, then do what is appropriate to get better. Some sicknesses con weaken your immune system, which makes it easier to catch other diseases. Make sure you keep informed. The CDC has provided a useful website: http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/. From there you can also access H1N1 related statistics and graphs. Another good source is provided by the UK government: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/Intr oduction.aspx. Finally, a good map of the infection is provided by FluTracker: http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/.

Just remember, while it has a rising death toll, H1N1 is not very deadly yet. Deaths occur in less than half a percent of cases, and symptoms only last a week. Keep informed, practice common health practices, and don't worry too much.

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