With swine flu being hotly debated about, there should also be a sense of protecting oneself from the deadly disease. In the end of the day, when you get the disease you don’t actually get the disease you give yourself in to the disease. Once A (H1N1) virus is part of you, it clings to you and you succumb to it. The best way always is to give yourself and people around you as much care as you can. Start with the most basic steps for staying robust like washing your hands every 30 minutes and if you already have cough and cold, wash your hands after every time you cough and sneeze; use tissue to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze and throw the tissue away into the bin after use; while you are outside, avoid touching your nose, eyes, mouth etc because they are the most vulnerable to germs. These are the basic steps you should follow even when there is no influenza alarm.

Before you move on to protecting yourself from Swine Flu, you should know what it is. It is an acute and highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the orthomyxovirus (viruses that cause influenza). It is characterized by fast breathing and fever in the initial stages. These are followed by bluish or gray skin color, cough, irritability, dizziness, vomiting, pain or pressure in the chest. Once a person is suspected of swine flu he or she must not be permitted to go out. This helps in stopping the virus from spreading. The person should visit the doctor the moment any one of the symptoms are visible during the period of influenza pandemic. Seasonal flu vaccines can be injected into the patient during the initial stages and there can be a scope for improvement. People who are not infected must try and stay away from sick people. If there is an infected member in your family, wear a facemask to avoid getting infected. Avoid visiting places that are crowded, unhygienic etc. Following these simple steps can help you stay robust and healthy.