This section provides advice on the signs to look for if you think you may have the swine flu virus and answers general questions regarding swine flu and the effect it may have on you.
Patients with swine flu typically have a fever or a high temperature (over 38°C / 100.4°F) and two or more of the following symptoms:
As with any sort of influenza, how bad and how long the symptoms last will depend on treatment and the patient’s individual circumstances.
Most cases reported in the UK have been relatively mild, with those affected starting to recover within a week.
Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus happens in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
The advice from the Public Health Agency is that preventing the spread of germs is the single most effective way to slow the spread of diseases like swine flu.
You can protect yourself and your family by ensuring everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water, and by cleaning surfaces regularly.
You can prevent a virus spreading to others by:
A simple way to remember this is: CATCH IT. BIN IT. KILL IT.
If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. Most previously healthy people with swine flu will recover with rest, drinking plenty of fluids and taking medication such as paracetamol for pain relief and to control fever. The advice to this group is that if their condition suddenly deteriorates or their condition is still getting worse after 7 days (5 for a child) they should phone their GP.
People who are at higher risk of serious illness or death should they develop swine flu should be given antiviral medication as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours of the start of their flu-like symptoms and are therefore advised to phone their GP for advice and assessment for antivirals. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body.
Those who should receive antiviral treatment for clinically diagnosed swine flu are:
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
The UK medicines watchdog has warned the public not to buy medicines for swine flu online. Doing so will put you at serious risk of buying fake or poor quality drugs.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) believes these will include online offers for the sale of Tamiflu and/or Relenza, the antiviral medicines available on prescription only.
The MHRA has urged the public not to buy antivirals such as Tamiflu online, saying that anyone who does so faces a high risk of getting fake or poor quality medicines.
There are a range of penalties available under the law for dealing with offences including fraud, theft and supply of counterfeit drugs.
The MHRA is actively monitoring the internet for sales of suspected fake Tamiflu and Relenza.
To help you work out if a website is run by a real pharmacy, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has introduced an internet pharmacy logo.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially a source of infection whilst they are symptomatic and possible for up to seven days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.
Sometime viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like cafe tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.
General hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the swine flu virus. This includes:
No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
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