H1N1 hits home — now relax
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sam Tovar
age: 37
Occupation: Family doctor
Best thing about being a doctor: I feel blessed
to be able to deliver babies into this world.
The H1N1 flu is here: There is no need to panic.
No doubt you have heard that H1N1 flu, otherwise known as swine flu, has been verified in our town of Emporia . Since we first heard of this virus there has been quite a bit of media frenzy. Perhaps, this was for good reason. After all, there were concerns that this may be similar to the 1918 flu pandemic that killed millions worldwide.
This viral strain originally resided in pigs, thus giving it the now infamous name “Swine flu.” Since the first reports and deaths in Mexico early this year, public anxiety has skyrocketed. The medical and scientific community cautiously investigated to see how virulent and contagious this new strain would be.
Influenza is a virus that infects the upper respiratory tract in people. It is transmitted from person to person by all bodily secretions. Most commonly this disease is transmitted in the form of aerosolized saliva.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been tracking this newly discovered virus. Based on accumulated data it seems that approximately 1 million people have had the H1N1 flu so far with about 600 documented deaths. For comparison, the regular flu that is seen in the late winter/early spring affects about 60 million annually and causes around 35 thousand deaths. So it would seem that this flu is not very different from the usual flu in regards to risk of dying. (The total population of the USA is estimated to be around 307 million.)
With that said, the flu still kills people. This particular H1N1 flu seems to affect the young and middle-aged more than the elderly. Flu-infected people who require hospitalization generally suffer from underlying medical conditions. These people may suffer from asthma, emphysema, congestive heart failure, renal failure, diabetes, sickle cell or HIV. Chronic diseases tend to affect the body’s inherent ability to fight disease. This makes the flu more deadly for these individuals.
Nationwide, we are not in the usual flu season. There was a great deal more testing for the H1N1 flu earlier this summer in Kansas. However, now that we have confirmed H1N1 presence, there is really no reason to test specifically for it. The reason for this is that 97 percent of positive Influenza A swabs are testing positive for the H1N1 subtype. In plain English, if you test positive for the flu, you can be 97 percent certain that you have the H1N1 flu.
The most effective prevention for the regular flu is a flu shot. This year, the flu shot will be offered a bit early. This shot will not be protective for the H1N1 virus. The H1N1 specific flu shot is in production and will first be available to certain target groups including health care providers and certain at-risk groups. I expect there will be shortages of this new vaccine this year.
Other than vaccinations, frequent and thorough hand washing is effective at preventing and transmitting illness. Also, keeping optimal health helps your body fight infection. Eat right, live healthy, and make sure your chronic medical conditions are well controlled. Simply worrying about sickness has little protective value in maintaining your overall health. In fact, you can worry yourself sick.
Despite your best efforts to stay healthy, sickness happens. If you do your best to stay healthy and sickness happens, just deal with it.
The flu is a viral infection much like a cold. Both a cold and the flu cause a runny nose, cough and sore throat. Colds can cause fevers that are generally low-grade and intermittent over a few days. Colds can last up to 1 or 2 weeks. The flu usually lasts about one week. The fever in the flu usually has a fast onset, spikes high, and is associated with chills. In addition, the flu usually gives profound muscle aches. Think of the flu as a cold on steroids.
Being in close contact with a sick person should encourage you to wash your hands frequently. Infectious particles can be found on any object a sick person may contact. You can touch these objects then incidentally reach up to wipe your nose or rub your eyes and taxi the virus into your body. Sharing utensils, cups, clothing, handkerchiefs, or spittle with a sick person is inadvisable. Also, be sure you wash the clothing and bedding a sick person has recently used.
The large majority of people who are infected by the flu will not require any medical intervention other than perhaps needing a note for work. Our bodies are designed with a fabulous immune system, that when functioning well, will clear this virus out in about a week.
There are antiviral agents available by prescription that can assist your body in fighting off the flu. However, these medicines need to be started within the first 48 hours of your illness. Antiviral medications can speed your recovery by an average of 1.3 days (that’s right — only about one day!).
The H1N1 story is not finished. Early media attention that focused on death rates and lack of a vaccine led to quarantines, school closures, and a general increase in public anxiety and disease phobia. As we look back to the earliest cases in Mexico, we find what we see now. Mild cases of influenza with a low death rate. So far, it looks to be the latest in overblown media coverage. Remember West Nile virus, anyone?
Let’s all just take a big deep relaxing Yoga breath and play some chess or maybe go for a bike ride.
Shape Up, Emporia! is a weekly fitness and health column aimed at readers of all ages to get off the couch and get into shape. Each week will feature a fitness, health or nutrition professional from around the area who will share some friendly tips on how to improve your overall health. Our goal is to make getting in shape fun and easy to fit into your existing lifestyle and daily routine.
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Thank you! I've been saying the same thing and been scoffed at. My dr. just yesterday recommended my 4 year old with asthma get the H1N1 shot but didn't think it was necessary for me. I'll get the regular flu shot as will my whole family. I'll try to get the H1N1 shot for my son. We'll do our normal cold/flu season precautions about avoiding crowd and using hand sanitizer when leaving public places.
September 15, 2009 at 2:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
callalily (anonymous) says...
I am so concerned about this complacency that is being parroted over and over again in the media. The media is far from "overblowing" this--on the contrary, the media message is overwhelmingly like this article. When our kids start dying, the tone will change. I sincerely hope and pray it doesn't come to that, but it already (has* come to that in the harder-hit areas (where schools opened earlier). Dr. Tovar, I wonder what you would say to the parents of the Fairbanks, Alaska 10yo child who was dead within 48 hours of first symptoms, and had no preexisting conditions? Or the 5yo and 13yo boys in Memphis - both perfectly healthy prior to catching H1N1? Yes, the deaths are rare, but they are not nonexistent. It could be your child or my child next.
September 16, 2009 at 1:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
And it could be seasonal flu or e. coli killing a child. Unfortunately, deaths do happen. You never know how anyone will react to an illness. All we can do is use preventive measures and pray for the best.
September 16, 2009 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrissylynn_2 (anonymous) says...
Thank You Dr. Tovar for the information. I have been saying that this is no different than anything else as far as protecting your health. If you practice infection control and the standard safety precautions, you know washing your hands and all the other common sense practices you are doing all that can be done to protect yourself. i am so sick of society wanting a quick fix or a simple way to fix their problems like the average person that is overweight wanting a diet pill or a wonder diet regimin to fix their problem when all they need to do is change thier unhealthy habits, come on people quit whining about wanting an easy way, a shot, a pill, a drug or a surgery and do the right thing when it comes to your health. Practice healthy habits.
September 16, 2009 at 3:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )