Healthy people and this disease
The flu season has started. More than a third of the reported cases of illness was caused by Influenza A(H1N1) 2009. And in the meantime people have also died in the Netherlands from the Mexican flu. Is there cause for panic? We have briefly listed the latest facts for you.
Do mainly young, healthy people die from swine flu?
No, people who do not belong to the risk groups die every year from the normal seasonal flu. How much is unknown.
Is the chance that healthy children will die from the Mexican flu greater than with ‘normal’ flu?
The RIVM says about this: “We don’t know. We only know that the death of healthy children from ‘normal’ flu is very rare. And that Mexican flu has hit more young people and less old people so far than ‘normal’ flu.
What should you do if you think you have the swine flu?
Do not go to the doctor. In the new guidelines, it is not even necessary to call your GP if you are not in a risk group. Risk groups are children under 2 years old, pregnant women in the third trimester, people with chronic lung disease and it seems that people who are obese are also more likely to get swine flu.
How many days are you sick with the swine flu?
Just like with the normal flu, this varies from person to person. But on average, the symptoms of swine flu diminish after a week.
At what point is it no longer contagious to other people in my environment?
The swine flu is contagious from the moment you have symptoms up to and including the seventh day of illness. Contagiousness is highest during the onset of the disease. So even if you feel better after a few days, stay indoors until you’ve fully recovered.
How do I avoid getting the swine flu?
During a flu pandemic, it’s nearly impossible to avoid getting sick, too. But you can do something to reduce the chance of getting infected with the virus.
Situation
Every Thursday you will find here a new update on the state of affairs regarding the swine flu.
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