Prevention of H1N1 is actually easy for most people to understand, because, like all flu viruses, H1N1 spreads from person to person, mainly through the coughing or sneezing of a sick person. H1N1 may also spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with the virus and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

The H1N1 vaccine is under development and should begin to be available in large numbers in several months, but currently simple public health measures offer the best protection against H1N1.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Hand washing seems simple, but, remember, medical students actually are taught how to wash their hands, so make a real effort, because it’s a cheap, simple, and a highly effective way to prevent yourself from becoming infected with the H1N1 virus.
• Be careful touching your eyes, nose or mouth, because the H1N1 virus is often spread when a person touches a contaminated object and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth. Be particularly aware of door handles and computer keyboards, because these surfaces are almost impossible to keep free of a tough virus like H1N1.
• If possible avoid the company of people who are sick, especially if they are already suffering H1N1 Flu symptoms.
  However, if you are a care-giver be doubly vigilant about washing your hands and protecting yourself from infection.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a facial tissue when sneezing or coughing, or “sneeze in your elbow.”  
If you are sick, stay home from work, school, church, or other public places, because you will help prevent others from catching H1N1.  Essentially, be polite.
• If you live in a community where H1N1 has occurred, stay away from shopping malls, movie theaters, or other places where there are large groups of people.   Although, exercise is great for you overall,  gyms are perfect breeding grounds for viruses like H1N1 and you should probably avoid them if there is an ongoing outbreak of H1N1 Flu in your area.

The symptoms of Swine Flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of common seasonal flu.  Common symptoms include:

• Fever – particularly a fever of over 100 degrees
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Chills and fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Occasionally, vomiting and diarrhea

Persons who experience flu-like symptoms should immediately contact their physician, but, remember, Swine Flu is a highly contagious disease and people who believe they are infected with Swine Flu should avoid going out in public unless absolutely necessary.  So, call first.

Warning Signs

People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu,  including people over the age 65, and  children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are infected with HIV should be extra vigilant in looking for the symptoms of Swine Flu.

Because young children often cannot explain how they are feeling it especially important to keep an eye out for children who are having difficulty breathing.

If any person, but particularly small children and others in high risk groups, exhibit any of the following serious warning signs, seek immediate emergency medical care:

• Trouble breathing, including rapid breathing.
• Gray or bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Sleeping constantly and not interacting when awake
• Being especially irritable
• Not urinating or no tears when crying
• The symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Swine Flu Symptoms: Summary

Nearly, everything you learned about the symptoms of traditional flu is true of Swine Flu, so why all the concern, you are probably thinking.  What worries public health professionals is that there is not a vaccine available for Swine Flu, though one is being manufactured, and the vaccine for the regular flu will not be effective against this newly discovered.

That means, if the vaccines are available, you will need two flu shots to be fully protected from both Swine Flu and the normal seasonal variety of the flu.

Finally, the simple fact that the virus is new is a real concern, because there is concern that it might mutate into something more deadly. Remember, the regular seasonal flu strain kills hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year, and, so, even if the Swine Flu turns out to be no more virulent than the regular flu that is still an awful disaster on the grandest scale.

At this point it is hard to know what the ultimate out come of the Swine Flu pandemic will be.  Be prepared, but don’t panic.

Here’s a breakdown of the worldwide cases of H1N1.

Products For Preventing and Treating Swine Flu

There are numerous products on the market designed to prevent or treat Swine Flu.  Some of these products may be great, but consumers need to be wary of products that make extraordinary claims.  The Swine Flu pandemic has brought out all sorts of kooks and con men offering instant cures.

In the United States the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration have teamed up to crack down on business making unsubstantiated medical claims.  Download a PDF list of business and products censured by the FDA.

Some advocates of alternative medicine and supporters of consumers making their own medical decisions have railed against the FDA for being overly aggressive, because they generally require expensive, time-consuming peer-reviewed scientific studies before they will approve a product for use.

Though, it is easy to understand the frustration of people who want to make their own decisions about their personal health care, this site will not accept advertisements for any products listed as fraudulent by the FDA and none of the statements on this site should be viewed as medical advice.

Furthermore, consumers should carefully research any product and come to their own conclusion before making a purchase.

With that disclaimer in mind, here are the products and services that most well educated consumers should probably consider.

Health Insurance

If you live in the United States this is probably a very good time to check out your health insurance coverage.

eHealthInsurance is a service that compares rates from a variety of companies to find one right for you.  They offer plans for small businesses, individuals, and families, but they also offer short term health insurance for a maximum duration of six months that is even cheaper.

Costs vary depending on your age, smoking habits, and where you live.  In a recent test for short term rates for single thirty-year-old non-smoking male living in the greater Los Angeles area were as cheap as $68.00 a month and only $41.00 a month if that person lived in rural Missouri.

Even if you already have health insurance eHealthInsurance might be able to offer you better coverage at the same price you are already paying or provide you with low cost additional coverage.

However, remember there is more to health insurance than the cost, so be sure to check on deductibles, coverage, co-pays, and the other details.  Also, with most companies you will have to provide information on you general health and any preexisting conditions before they allow you to enroll.

Air Purifiers

The FDA does not recommend any particular brand of air purifier to prevent the spread of the Swine Flu virus and they have reprimanded several manufactures of air purifiers for making unverified claims, but CleanAir4Life.com offers a variety of air purifiers that they assert eliminate viruses, including the Swine Flu virus.   They make some very strong claims, but they also offer a lot of compelling evidence, particularly for the Airfree models.

However, you should remember that even a perfect air purifier is worthless if you do not follow good standards of hygiene and public health.

Medical Supplies

There are also a lot of choices for medical supplies, such as masks, disinfectants, and hand cleaners.   Frankly, you can probably buy most items you might need at your local pharmacy or supermarket, but if you believe you need hospital quality medical supplies you should price them at iMed.com

Medical masks are probably the most common item that you might want to order from a medical supply company, because if you are going to the effort to wear a mask you probably want to go ahead and buy form fitting hospital quality masks, known as N95 respirators, which might not be easily available in your local drugstore.

However, you should note that the experts are not sure how effective even the N95 masks are at preventing the spread of Swine Flu.

Medication

The FDA has approved the prescription antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for the treatment of Swine Flu.  You probably want to purchase these and other prescription medication from your local pharmacy.

However, you might want to consider purchasing them from Canada Pharmacy or 121doc, a British based online clinic that offers an array of services. They both offer competitive prices and privacy, which some people might find invaluable.