Monthly Health Articles Archive

Q&A about H1N1

It’s difficult to say which spreads faster, the H1N1 virus or rumors about this disease.  The initial name given the virus was one of the first areas of miscommunication.  Originally called the “swine flu,” many consumers assumed that they could become ill from eating pork.  Nothing could be further from the truth, but unfortunately the price of pork reflects this misunderstanding.  If you have been avoiding pork from fear of H1N1, please feel free to return ham, bacon and other pork products to your dinner table.  Eating properly handled and cooked pork is perfectly safe.  Read on for more information on H1N1 and how to find out more information if you have further questions.

Why was it initially called the swine flu?
Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs, caused by type A influenza viruses that cause regular outbreaks in pigs.  People don’t normally get this virus, but human infections can and do happen.

How is it different from the flu people are vaccinated against?
The main difference is that this is a new strain of swine flu that has never been seen in humans or in pigs.  The annual flu shot that many people get in the fall will not provide any protection against this new strain and at this time, there is no vaccine available to offer people protection against H1N1.

What can people do to protect themselves from disease?
H1N1 is transmitted from person to person by coughing or sneezing, which makes it very contagious.  People also may become infected by touching their nose or mouth after touching something with the flu virus on it.  The help prevent the spread of germs that cause illnesses such as H1N1 or the seasonal flu, avoid contact with people who are ill, wash your hands and stay home from work, school and other public places when you are sick.  Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough, either with a tissue or your sleeve.  Also, be sure to get your annual flu shot in the fall and the H1N1 flu shot, when it becomes available.

Why is this strain of flu more of a concern than the “regular” flu?
Some types of the flu are much more virulent, meaning they cause worse illness.  This is a brand new strain of flu, so our bodies have no immunity to this virus. At the onset of this outbreak it was unknown how severe this new strain would be.  All precautions were taken to prevent spread.  Now that we are further into this outbreak we can relax the more severe precautions.  This doesn’t mean, however, that we should stop practicing good health habits.  It’s still recommended to wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes and follow other general rules for good health.

For more information about H1N1 call the KRHC Community Health Hotline at 515-295-4451 or the Iowa Dept. of Public Health website at www.idph.state.ia.us/adper/swine_flu.asp.

-Carol Gress is a nurse in KRHC Community Health and
an active member of KEPT (Kossuth Emergency Planning Team)