H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine: Safety, Hype, Myths / Facts
H1N1 Swine Flu is a type of influenza virus that is having symptoms similar to regular flu. It is highly contagious and spreads quickly from person to person. Adults above 65 years of age and children under 5 years of age are having a higher risk of getting infected with swine flu. People with low immune systems or adults under 19 years of age and receiving long-term aspirin therapy, pregnant women, and people suffering from chronic illness have higher chances of getting affected by the H1N1 virus. Don’t follow the myth that a pregnant woman should not take the vaccine. In general, this virus gets transmitted to humans due to the consumption of H1N1 infected pigs. It spreads among humans through saliva and mucus particles. Due to sneezing, coughing, and touching your eyes or nose after getting contact with an infectious surface. The symptoms of this flu are very much similar to the regular ones. These are fever, chills, cough, sore throat, body pains, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhoea, fatigue, vomiting and nausea. Doctors in Delhi and of other states carried out a swab test by collecting fluid samples from the patient’s body. The specific type of virus can be identified by various genetic and laboratory techniques.
All about H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine
The swine flu vaccine is used to prevent swine flu and is made from killed virus particles. A little dose of virus injected in your body builds your immunity against swine flu. Any adult and children above 6 months old can get this vaccine. People above 10 years of age can receive a single dose of the vaccine while a child between 6 months to 9 years will receive two doses separated by 4 weeks. The temperature for storing this vaccine is within 35° to 46°F.
There are three basic types of H1N1 swine flu vaccine. These are – the FluMist nasal spray, single-syringe shots, and multi-shot vials. Thimerosal is present in multi-shot vials. If you want to ignore it then get the Single-syringe shots or the FluMist nasal spray. Though the mercury contained in the thimerosal is ethyl mercury and is not so toxic in comparison to other chemical forms. At times you may not get the Single-syringe vaccines. You can take two antiviral drugs as oseltamivir and zanamivir. Healthy people can fight the infection by ownself without any medicines and vaccines.
There is a common myth that you can get flu from the flu vaccine. No, you can’t get the flu but can have some side effects. Here comes another myth, getting the flu vaccine can cause severe side effects. No, with the nasal spray vaccine you can have headache, vomiting, fever, runny nose, wheezing, and muscle pains. If you are having some symptoms like high fever, weakness, hoarseness, paleness, dizziness, trouble in breathing, racing heart, hives, swelling around the lips or eyes, and behavioural changes. Then it is an emergency, you must visit a doctor. These conditions occur due to the severe reaction of the vaccine in the body.
You can get relief from the symptoms of swine flu by getting sufficient amount of rest, drinking plenty of water, and consuming over-the-counter pain relievers if you are having headache, body aches or a sore throat. Having juices and soups will help you regain the lost nutrients and will keep you hydrated along with water. Rest is necessary for building the immune system to fight against the virus.
Maximum of the people recovered from the flu except for a few with severe conditions. Generally, people having some underlying chronic diseases suffers from severe consequences. To prevent this, you must wash your hands frequently with soap or sanitizer. Do not touch your nose, eyes, or mouth. Work from home and don’t go in public touch or large gatherings.
Taking care from the beginning will protect you from the H1N1 swine flu virus.