Health and government officials deserve credit for sharing swine flu information with the public with the correct volume and tone. They are being serious and cautionary, but are speaking without fear.
We realize it’s hard not to be scared. An estimated 2,000 people have been infected in Mexico and 150 have died, prompting closures of schools, athletic events and religious services.
But the cases seen in this country – 50 as of Tuesday afternoon – are mild and none fatal so far. Travel to Mexico is not formally restricted, but officials are advising Americans to only make necessary trips.
The most important steps we can take are simple ones. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. If you do develop flu-like symptoms, stay home from work or school and contact your health care provider.
Panic and anxiety are not on the list. Rushing to the doctor or emergency room isn’t either. In Virginia and Tennessee, there are no known cases of swine flu – a contagious respiratory disease in pigs that can also affect humans. Symptoms are similar to regular flu: fever, sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, aches. But you don’t need to be tested unless you have been in contact with people from places where a confirmed case has been reported: Mexico, Canada, Europe and the states of Texas, California, Kansas, Ohio and New York. And even if you suspect a case of swine flu due to symptoms and possible exposure, call your health provider first.
The federal government declared a public health emergency, which allows officials to better mobilize resources and be ready if the situation worsens. Part of that readiness includes additional antiviral medications that are being mobilized nationwide.
In Virginia, state Health Commissioner Karen Remley declared a public health emergency Monday. That declaration will send an additional 280,000 courses of antiviral medication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add to the 770,000 courses of medication Virginia already has stockpiled.
It also allows public health officials to move quickly if swine flu cases arise. Remley sent an alert on Friday to health care providers across Virginia to maintain a “high index of suspicion” in cases with flu-like symptoms.
It’s a fine line between caution and fear – officials have to be ready to handle an outbreak without unnecessarily frightening the public. And as the number of cases grows, so does the concern.
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