Rx for swine flu: Preparedness comes first
MANILA, Philippines – Amid rising global and health concerns in the light of the Mexican swine flu outbreak, local flu doctor and pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Nancy Bermal has one prescription: Preparedness comes first.
“We should be worried in the sense that we have to prepare for it, but not to the extent that we have to panic,” says Dr. Bermal. “And the preparedness that Filipinos should exercise must be rooted in two things — awareness and good hygiene practices.
Be Aware
“It’s important to read the newspapers and to know what’s going on in other countries,” she says, citing the most recent swine flu mortality count of 49 casualties and 1,600 cases as an example. “But what’s more important than identifying these numbers is knowing how to differentiate between the three most visible types of flu — the seasonal flu, the avian flu, and the swine flu.”
Dr. Bermal explains that flu viruses commonly circulate in the human and animal environment. Seasonal flu is caused by flu viruses that change to spread in humans; whereas avian flu is caused by flu viruses that affect birds and swine flu is caused by those that affect pigs. She notes that the mixing of human and animal flu viruses can lead to the development of new viruses in which the human population has little or no immunity against.
Despite this, Dr. Bermal assures the public that the local health department has already been taking active measures to address the swine flu virus threat. “The preparedness that we’re exercising is more on surveillance.” At present, passengers coming from Mexico and other infected countries are screened for the flu. Those found to be infected will be quarantined at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine until proven free of the said virus.
Be Clean
While local health officials are doing their part, the flu doctor also reminds the public to do theirs by practicing good hygiene and keeping their homes clean.
Flu is commonly spread through coughing and sneezing; and to counter this, Dr. Bermal recommends what she calls the “cough etiquette.” “This simply means turning your head when coughing or sneezing and covering your mouth with disposable tissue and disposing of the tissue properly.” She also stresses the importance of frequent hand washing with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleanser.
Dr. Bermal observes that surface cleaning is another important aspect in preventing flu strains. “Let’s say you sneeze and then proceed to hold the doorknob or the table — you may not know it, but the virus or bacteria can be transmitted to that area.” Because of this, she recommends cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, faucets/sinks, counter tops, telephones, light switches, bath tubs, garbage cans, and shower curtains.
