Not many people are unaware of swine flu nowadays with the number of cases rising everyday. In Malaysia, many schools have been closed down for a week to prevent the spread of the virus. However, parents are worried as this affects their children’s studies. What if there are still new cases arising within the school? Will the school continue to close for weeks or months?
Swine flu symptoms
Get medical attention if you have the following symptoms to ascertain that it is or is not due to influenza A (H1N1):
• A high fever above 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
• A cough
• A headache
• Aching joints
• Nasal congestion
• General fatigue
• Lack of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
If you have a fever for over three days and suffer from difficulty in breathing, you should seek medical attention immediately. This is especially important for the elderly people, the young children and pregnant women or for those who have a health complication.
photo credit: SarahMcD ॐ
Take the necessary precautions
Each individual must take responsibility for his own health and parents must teach and remind their children to be more careful on their hygiene. The following are steps that you can take to prevent infection:
• Avoid going to crowded places like the shopping malls
• Cover your mouth or face while sneezing or coughing with a clean tissue or handkerchief
• Wear a face or surgical mask
• Keep good hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water often
• Keep the house and commonly-touched surfaces cleaned, for example the telephone, door handles, computer keyboards, etc.
• Maintain overall good diet and health
Treatment for swine flu
A person with flu should take plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and take the prescribed painkillers. Your doctor may prescribe Tamiflu or Relenza which works by preventing the virus from reproducing. These drugs if given or administered in time can help to ease the symptoms, shorten the period of illness and also reduce the risk of infecting others.
For more information on swine flu, you can visit this website at http://www.moh.gov.my
My children are still going to school but I insists that they wear a face mask cover. Their cousins have missed a few days of school already due to the swine flu scare. I avoid taking my children to crowded places and ensure that they keep good personal hygiene.
What is your opinion about swine flu? Please share them here.
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