Swine Flu
Is this swine flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.
What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.
How does swine flu spread?
Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening 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.
How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
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.
How long can viruses live outside the body?
We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.
What can the community do as a whole to prevent an outbreak?
What can you do personally to protect yourself from getting sick?
April 28th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
To prevent the swine flu from coming to Hawaii, I think the community as a whole should do small things like pick up rubbish around us so that Hawaii will be clean and there will be less germs around us. You can also sign up for community service to help the environment to be cleaner. Personally, I think that keeping Hawaii clean will help a lot because less germs will arise from the garbage and litter. I also think that before someone gets on an airplane, they should check to see if the passenger has the symptoms of the swine flu. That way it will keep the swine flu in one area alone. I also think that the President should stop all contact or trade with Mexico, and should shut down the border just until the swine flu pases through so America does not get the flu carried to them. If you really think about it, at least one of your ancestors if you are of European descent, lived through the time when the Bubonic plague was killing all of Europe or when smallpox was killing people by the 1,000s, so you probably have a great immunity system already.
Personally, what I can do to protect myself from the flu is to stay healthy by eating good and getting lots of sleep. I can also wash my hands before and after a meal and after I use the restroom. I think each family should have a supply of food just in case the flu becomes a pandemic flu like the Spanish flu did and we are not allowed to leave the house. We will then have food to survive on.
April 28th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I think that to keep myself healthy is to do all the things that your doctors want you to do: eat healthly, exercise, wash hands after we sneeze or cough, and get a lot of rest. But I also think that we should wash our hands after every meal and before every meal. Also, wash our hands before we touch things. Another thing anyone can do is not to go to school if you are sick. You can ask a friend or a relative to get your homework after school. One last thing you can do is clean each cut with soap and water, and put alcohol on it to really clean the cut. You know, just the basic stuff.
I think that the community can just keep the community clean and not leave their pets’ poop in someone’s yard, and if that person forgets to pick up the poop, then the owner of the house should just pick it up! No fuss at all!
April 28th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
We as a community can stop all plane travel, and make people aware of the consequences if they do not wash their hands. Also, if someone has symptoms of Swine Flu, such as fever, coughing, headache, body aches, and sore throat, tell people that when they cough or sneeze, they must cover their mouths or they might accidentally spread the deadly virus.
Some things that I can do to protect myself from contamination of this feared virus are things like stay far away from people that look sick and also people that have symptoms of this hated flu. If I were to be contaminated by the Swine Flu, I would immediately go to the doctor’s office and after told what to do about the virus, I would isolate myself and do everything in my power to keep from infecting other people. Also another thing I would do is rest as much as possible and stay away from school to keep from spreading the flu to my fellow classmates, teachers, and other people as well.
But the most important thing is to…
STAY AS CLEAN AND HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE ! ! !
April 29th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
I think the community and I can help ourselves from getting an outbreak of the swine flu by cleaning up our communities, and making sure our animals are not sick and that we are not sick.
I think a person could prevent himself or herself from getting the swine flu by frequently washing their hands. People could also prevent themselves from getting the swine flu by staying away from swines and other people who are sick. We should stay home and get some rest if we are are sick. We should also keep better track of where the market gets meat.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
As a community we can all help by throwing away trash and cleaning up our community. Hawaii could also stop flights to and from Mexico so hopefully the swine flu won’t come to Hawaii. I also agree with Mira in that we should check if passengers at the airport have any symptoms of swine flu.
I could protect myself from getting sick by washing my hands and getting rest, and also by staying healthy. And how Ariana said, don’t come to school if you’re sick because you could make others sick.
I would go to the doctors if I get the swine flu but my doctor put a sign on the front of the door that said if you have gone to Mexico or came by anyone who has the swine flu, do not enter! So some doctors do even want people with swine flu coming near them or their patients.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I think that the swine flu might be already on this island because there is so many tourists that come into Hawai‘i. These tourists might be carrying the flu and spreading it to hotel workers. These hotel workers might spread it to their friends or kids, who might spread it to people at work or school. Then, who knows, it might be at our school! That would be sad
if it is.
I think we can prevent the flu by keeping our ‘aina clean! Also, we can recycle and have a green community. Washing my hands is best. My mom bought us all travel-size hand sanitizers to use. I read that there are antibodies through pills, liquids, and inhalers as a once-a-day vaccine.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I think that we can get rid of litter and start making a disinfecting spray you can bring with you to other places. I know that they may have already made one, but we should make one that is stronger and maybe make it into a lotion because you can’t bring liquids onto a airplane. We should also make more automatic hand sanitizer machines and make some nasal spray machines because maybe it is also about the germs you breathe in.
I think I should take more showers and clean myself better. I should wash my hands more carefully. I should use hand sanitizers when I am not able to go to the restroom to wash my hands.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
I think that as a whole community we can all start cleaning our houses and everything all around us. We can use hand sanitizer after touching doors or using a phone to call someone. Even though we are more aware of the swine flu and that there have been some recent deaths, we shouldn’t just be all of a sudden start washing our hands after we use the restroom. It should be a natural habit that you shouldn’t have to be warned. The scare now is the swine flu so the best way to keep healthy is to start washing your hands. Don’t scratch your eyes after you just touch a door handle.
I think to keep myself healthy is to just stay as calm as possible and maybe wash my hands for a longer period of time. Maybe, I could wash my hands more often or use hand sanitizer. Another good thing to do is after you use the restroom, wash your hands as usual, grab a paper towel, and then turn off the faucet because after your hands are all clean and sparkly, your just getting them dirty again. Also, try not to touch the door handle when you go out of the restroom. Use a paper towel and then throw away your paper towel after you are done.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I think the community can try to not travel anywhere unless it is super important or is a family emergency. Also, we can eat healthier foods to keep our immune system strong. And if you are sick don’t go anywhere outside or to anybody’s house because you could sneeze and it could go on a counter. We could then touch it and rub our eye.
Personally, I can wash my hands often, and not rub my ears, mouth, nose or eyes after I touch something. Also, I can eat healthy and not fly anywhere, and if I get sick, I will isolate myself from my sisters so they don’t get sick. Also I can bring hand sanitizer so I don’t always have to go to the bathroom to wash.
April 30th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I think the community should stop all flights here and from here so that if anyone has the swine flu, they will not spread it to anyone. We should be cleaner and wash our hand frequently. Also, you should eat foods that will keep your body in tip-top shape. Also, if anyone in your school or work is sick, they should stay home so that no one else will get sick.
Personally, I could wash my hands frequently, not touch my eyes, and don’t bite my fingers. I can also always eat healthy things and keep my immune system really healthy so that if I get the swine flu, then my immune system can fight the germ off.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I think that the community can stop the flight to where ever people want to go, like if you want to go to California, I would say no, because what if he carries the swine flu and it spreads, then what? We could also not go to school if were feeling sick before we spread it and other people who get sick might die.
I can also get my swine flu vaccination so if I get the germ, I wouldn’t get that sick and die. I can also stay away from school if I have the flu.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
I don’t want to get the vaccination because a vaccination is just like putting the virus into you, and I don’t want to take a risk with a deadly virus. If the flu is easily spread, I’m going to wash my hands and arms after everything I do, especially after P.E. I hope the medical field finds the cure fast before we have another mass outbreak, another plague.
I really think we can stop the virus in time before we turn into Philadelphia and the yellow fever.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I’m sorry to say this, but the swine flu is a virus, Mira.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
As a community to prevent an outbreak, we can maybe cancel a few flights from the mainland. But if the people on the flight want to go, I personally can’t stop them from going, but if I had the choice, I would stay here until the swine flu has died down or I may have a chance of catching and spreading it here in Hawaii.
What I can personally do to protect myself from getting sick is, consistently wash my hands. Also, to avoid as much as possible not to touch my eyes or face, not to fly on planes, eat healthier for stronger immune system.
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I think the community can help by providing fliers that explain what swine flu is and what people can do to stop it from spreading. They could also have community meetings to share different ideas on how everyone can work together to help each other. This would hopefully stop people from being afraid of the disease and be strong enough to fight it.
I can help myself by always washing my hands very thoroughly with soap several times during the day. Most importantly, not to stick things in my mouth, and not touch my face or eyes. I also think about avoiding trips that mean long hours on a plane where we would breathe the same air of someone who could be sick. I would also not go to school if I felt sick to avoid spreading my germs.
I think we can prevent swine flu in Hawaii if we are all aware.
May 11th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Wash your hands!!!
May 11th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Buy $0.50 pocket hand-sanitizers from walmart to take around.
Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Then, WASH YOUR HANDS, DUDE! 
May 11th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Clean your room/house. Their might be some bacteria coming from the trash. Take out the trash!
May 11th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Sanitize your bathroom once in a while!
No one can do their business in a germ infested room. 