How To Protect Yourself From the Swine Flu Virus

Brumley Professional Employer Services is carefully monitoring the information and warnings being issued by health agencies concerning the swine influenza, which continues to spread throughout the United States and internationally. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 5, which is characterized by confirmed person-to-person spread of the virus which causes "community-level" outbreaks. The Center for Disease Control has also issued a travel advisory recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico.

You can help prevent the spread of the virus if you monitor and inform your employees. If they have flu-like symptoms they should contact their doctor immediately. The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the regular flu symptoms and include fever, chills, headache, cough, sore throat, body aches, and fatigue as well as nausea and vomiting. Anyone with the virus is contagious as long as they have symptoms and for several days after the symptoms end.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent swine flu but practicing good hygiene can help protect you and your family:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating and after coughing and sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.

2. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue away and wash your hands immediately. You can also cough or sneeze into your upper arm area. This helps keep germs away from the hands.

3. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.

Most importantly, anyone with flu symptoms should stay home from work or school and limit their contact with others.

You can get more information on the swine flu at: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

Or for information in Spanish: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/releases/20090425-sp.shtm