Showing posts with label swine flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swine flu. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2009
Traveling During Swine Flu
There was only one man wearing a mask on the flight from Sao Paulo to Miami. Swine Flu is the topic of conversation among my colleagues and friends who are traveling around the world. An announcement was made on all my flights regarding identifying yourself onboard if you have symptoms of the flu. Know the symptoms, take precautions and take action as needed.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Swine Flu - Update from the MTA, precautions and insights for travellers
I received a bulletin from the Medical Tourism Association and below is part of their coverage of the Swine Flu. While I have been in Brazil, I have not read a paper or watched TV so this update was interesting. Concern about the flu has reached all corners of the world. A physician friend of mine in Tunisia is on business travel to Algeria and her family is concerned for her health such as mine was before I embarked on international travel.
One never knows what to expect practicing good hygience and knowing the symptoms and being prepared in terms of knowing about local hospitals, purchasing travel insurance and having tamaflu in hand helps to expect the best and prepare for the worst.
Steps to Stay Healthy
Stay informed.Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Take everyday actions to stay healthy. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.
As of 11:00 AM ET on April 29, 2009, CDC has confirmed 91 human cases of swine flu in 10 states and 1 death:
Arizona: 1
California: 14
Indiana: 1
Kansas: 2
Massachusetts: 2
Michigan: 2
Nevada: 1
New York: 51
Ohio: 1
Texas: 16 (1 death)
One never knows what to expect practicing good hygience and knowing the symptoms and being prepared in terms of knowing about local hospitals, purchasing travel insurance and having tamaflu in hand helps to expect the best and prepare for the worst.
Steps to Stay Healthy
Stay informed.Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Take everyday actions to stay healthy. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.
As of 11:00 AM ET on April 29, 2009, CDC has confirmed 91 human cases of swine flu in 10 states and 1 death:
Arizona: 1
California: 14
Indiana: 1
Kansas: 2
Massachusetts: 2
Michigan: 2
Nevada: 1
New York: 51
Ohio: 1
Texas: 16 (1 death)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Traveling During the Swine Flu Outbreak
Just a week before a trip to Brazil, news started to emerge about Swine Flu. Within days, swine flu was on every news channel, every paper and media channel. I hadn't given it much thought until attending a disaster planning symposium sponsored by the Los Angeles Deptartment of Health. There was much adoo about Swine flu. A professional in disaster planning said she wouldn't travel anywhere if she didn't have to. Another suggested buying a mask and wearing it all the way from L.A. to my final destination in Brazil. Another asked if I hadn't gotten tamaflu as a precaution...which, admittedly I hadn't thought of.
After carefully following the travel nurses recommendations about vaccinations for yellow fever, typoid fever, Hep A, and boosters for measles and tetanus - Swine flu threatened a safe trip. My primary care physician was wonderful and after explaining my concern, he prescribed tamaflu. Little did I know how difficult it would be to obtain. There was a run on it. But thankfully, I was referred topharmacy and $50 later - had tamaflu in hand. I read that the US only has enough tamaflu for 16% of its population and many other countries fared less well statistically.
After a long flight, there is nothing like being greeting by a representative wearing a mask handing out warning flyers in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In fact, all the customs folks were wearing masks. There were a few folks that wore mask in the flight from Miami to Sao Paulo but I didn't see any masks being worn 8 hours into the flight. I did see lots of folks with their hand sanitizers. I am happy to report - I have no flu like symptoms and my travel plans have gone according to plan. So far.
After carefully following the travel nurses recommendations about vaccinations for yellow fever, typoid fever, Hep A, and boosters for measles and tetanus - Swine flu threatened a safe trip. My primary care physician was wonderful and after explaining my concern, he prescribed tamaflu. Little did I know how difficult it would be to obtain. There was a run on it. But thankfully, I was referred topharmacy and $50 later - had tamaflu in hand. I read that the US only has enough tamaflu for 16% of its population and many other countries fared less well statistically.
After a long flight, there is nothing like being greeting by a representative wearing a mask handing out warning flyers in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In fact, all the customs folks were wearing masks. There were a few folks that wore mask in the flight from Miami to Sao Paulo but I didn't see any masks being worn 8 hours into the flight. I did see lots of folks with their hand sanitizers. I am happy to report - I have no flu like symptoms and my travel plans have gone according to plan. So far.
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