H1N1 Swine Flu Resources

Michigan Radio will be gathering a variety of resources on H1N1 Swine Flu to keep you well informed on the situation. Background Info Michigan Swine Flu News Mashup Word Health News From NPR CDC Flu Twitter Updates Worldwide Twitter Search Links Comments Photo courtesy of the CDC Background Info What is 2009 H1N1 (swine flu)? "2009 H1N1 (referred to as 'swine flu' early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 flu was underway" (info from CDC.gov). H1N1 Flu is most commonly spread in the air when people sneeze or cough. Symptoms include: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. An H1N1 vaccine is in production for fall 2009, but it is not yet available. Regular prevention includes covering your mouth and nose when sneezing, washing hands with soap and water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and avoiding close contact with sick people. You cannot get the H1N1 virus from eating pork. The virus can survive on surfaces for 2-8 hours after someone's respiratory droplets are deposited there.  H1N1 is destroyed by heat and many common germicides: chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents and alcohols. Michigan residents can call 2-1-1 or 800-552-1183 with questions about H1N1 outbreaks (according to the MDCH). Below: "CDC influenza expert, Joseph Bresee, M.D., describes how to recognize the signs and symptoms of swine flu including how swine flu is transmitted, appropriate medicines for treatment and steps to take to prevent or treat illness" (from CDC.gov). Michigan Swine Flu News Mashup World Health News From NPR CDC Twitter Updates The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintain the Twitter account @CDCFlu. The widget below displays their most recent updates. Worldwide Twitter Search Twitter can seem chaotic, but it has become an citizen-based news source. And because it offers a worldwide search in real time, it's now one of the fastest sources of information online. If there's a Swine Flu outbreak, reports may be on Twitter first. What's the world saying about H1N1 Flu? Follow this LINK to see tweets using the term "H1N1." Links Centers for Disease Control: H1N1 Flu Fact Sheet CDC: Swine Flu and You CDC Advisors Make H1N1 Vaccine Recommendations Flu.gov - Know What To Do About The Flu Flu.gov: H1N1 Swine Flu FAQ Flu.gov: Michigan Page Michigan Department of Community Health H1N1 Page Michigan Department of Agriculture H1N1 Page Find A Local Health Center Red Cross Influenza Fact Sheet (PDF) blog comments powered by Disqus