Stacy Wiegman, PharmD. It is possible to come down with the flu influenza more than once. Your body's immune system will be able to fight off the strain of flu virus that made you sick the first time. However, the flu virus can change its structure and create new strains, which can slip by your immune system and make you sick.
There is some good news, though. Once you have had the flu, you may have milder symptoms if you become infected with the virus a second time. If you had H1N1 you are unlikely to get sick again from the same virus, but you are susceptible to new flu strains, so you should still get an annual flu shot.
The technical definition of Phase 6 is human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one World Health Organisation region, with community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region.
If you experience flu-like symptoms during a stay in a country affected by swine flu, contact a health professional and tell them your symptoms. If you become ill on your flight home, alert the cabin crew to your symptoms.
There are procedures in place for dealing with passengers who become unwell on flights, and the airline will advise port health officials on the ground that a passenger requires a health assessment and may need treatment.
Everyone who has been infected with the virus in this country has so far been diagnosed early and treated with antivirals, which reduce the severity of symptoms.
The flu virus changes character very rapidly. It can pick up and swap genetic material, which can dramatically change its character, increasing the severity of symptoms. The virus could change in the autumn, so we need to plan for this.
Most flu sufferers can be cared for appropriately at home. The UK has well developed plans in place for managing extra demand on the healthcare system during the pandemic — see guidelines on Managing demand and capacity in healthcare organisations surge for more information. The WHO says there is no evidence that swine flu can be transmitted through eating meat from infected animals. However, it is essential to cook meat properly.
Pig meat includes pork, bacon, ham and pork products. Back to A-Z Departments. Swine Influenza. The basics What is swine influenza? Why is swine flu affecting humans? Is the new swine flu virus contagious? What are the symptoms of swine flu? How long are symptoms expected to last? How is swine flu infection diagnosed? Which people are most vulnerable from swine flu?
Those who are more at risk from becoming seriously ill with swine flu are: people with chronic lung disease, including people who have had drug treatment for their asthma within the past three years people with chronic heart disease people with chronic kidney disease people with chronic liver disease people with chronic neurological disease people with suppressed immune systems whether caused by disease or treatment people with diabetes pregnant women people aged 65 years and older, and young children under five years old.
How dangerous is it? How does swine flu cause death? Should we expect a more severe second wave of the pandemic in the winter? Should I go to work or school if I have been in contact with someone who I know has swine flu? Transmission How long does the virus live on surfaces?
What is the incubation period for swine flu? When are people most infectious? How quickly is swine flu spreading? Should I avoid contact with people suspected of having swine flu? Is it possible to catch swine flu twice? Should I have a 'swine flu party' or try and catch swine flu now, so I will be immune to more serious strains that may emerge later?
Can my pet catch swine flu? Pregnancy and children Are pregnant women more likely to catch swine flu? Does swine flu pose special risks in pregnant women?
What special precautions can pregnant women take? Can I take antiviral drugs if I am pregnant? What are the possible side effects of Relenza? Can I take flu remedies or painkillers if I am pregnant? Will pregnant women get preference for a swine flu vaccine? Should I stop breastfeeding if I need to take antiviral drugs? Can children take antivirals? Can babies under the age of one take antivirals?
Actions What can I do? You can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading swine flu by: Always covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and warm water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face, or to other people Cleaning hard surfaces, such as door handles, frequently using a normal cleaning product.
Who should be wearing a facemask? Why shouldn't the general public wear facemasks? There are concerns about the risks posed by not using facemasks correctly. So why have other countries gone down this route?
If you have flu-like symptoms, check your symptoms with this tool links to external site. Do not go into your GP surgery, or to a hospital, as you may spread the disease to others. If I have been in close contact with an infected person, do I need treatment? Antivirals Is swine flu treatable? What do antivirals do? Antivirals are not a cure, but they help you to recover by: relieving some of the symptoms reducing the length of time you are ill by around one day, and reducing the potential for serious complications, such as pneumonia.
How large is the UK's stockpile of antivirals? Is one of the antivirals more appropriate for pregnant women and people with certain kidney conditions? Will antivirals be given to people without flu symptoms? Will my child experience nausea if they take Tamiflu? How are those with confirmed swine flu getting access to antivirals? Should people be stockpiling their own antivirals?
Does Tamiflu go out of date? If I take an antiviral and have side effects, whom should I inform? Has the swine flu virus developed resistance to Tamiflu? Will the swine flu virus become resistant to antivirals in the future? Vaccines Is there a vaccine? Why does it take several months to produce a swine flu vaccine?
If other countries are also being given advance supply guarantees, will we get ours first? The UK has a binding contractual agreement in place to ensure its supply. Does the current seasonal flu vaccine work? How many stocks are available of seasonal vaccine?
Who will be a priority for vaccination with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine? The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has previously advised that the priority groups in relation to H5N1 the bird flu vaccine should be assumed to be: frontline health and social care workers to help ensure the NHS functions well older people and those in clinical risk groups, as flu can be more serious in these groups, and unders, as protecting children can slow the spread of the virus in the population.
Will the vaccine still provide people with protection if the swine flu virus mutates between now and the autumn? Does the NHS have enough syringes to administer the swine flu vaccine? Yes, orders have been placed to ensure there are enough syringes to administer the vaccine. Antibiotics What extra antibiotics have been purchased? Why do you need antibiotics in a pandemic? Am I more at risk from swine flu? Will my dose of immunosuppressants be altered in the event of an outbreak?
Yes, on the advice of a doctor it is safe for you to take Tamiflu or Relenza. Can I take antivirals if I have mild to moderate kidney disease? Can I take antivirals if I have severe kidney disease? Will people with long-term conditions get preference for a swine flu vaccine?
Are people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD more at risk from swine flu? What advice is there for people with asthma or COPD? I have diabetes. Am I at more at risk from swine flu? What should I do if my blood glucose increases?
Is there any advice for people with liver disease? Can I take antivirals if I am on epilepsy treatment? What if I become too ill to care for them? Older people Are older people more likely to catch swine flu? Are older people more at risk of complications if they do catch it? Travel What advice is being given to travellers? H3N2 and H1N1 are both strains of influenza A. Seasonal flu shots contain three to four strains of flu virus, because there isn't much "cross protection" between strains, Schaffner said.
It's possible that getting sick with one type of influenza A virus would offer some modest protection against another type of influenza A, but it probably wouldn't give you any protection against the influenza B virus, Schaffner said.
If you do catch the flu, and you haven't received the flu vaccine for the season, doctors generally recommend that you still get a flu shot after you're no longer sick, particularly if it's early on in the flu season, Schaffner said.
The CDC recommends the flu vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older. This flu season is turning out to be one of the worse since the "swine flu" epidemic, CDC officials said last week. Health officials are seeing "widespread' flu activity across the entire country.
For the past five flu seasons, health officials found that flu activity was elevated for around 16 weeks. So far this season, flu activity has been elevated for nine weeks, meaning that the flu season may be only about halfway over, the CDC said. Copyright LiveScience. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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