W4Y has had quite a few enquiries about Swine Flu, from worried young people in Wealden.
We have investigated the matter to bring you the latest facts. Listed below are some common questions, we hope this helps you to understand the problem.
Q: What is Swine Flu?
A: Swine Flu is an illness caused by a virus. It first came from pigs and generally only affected pigs, but it has somehow got mixed up with the Human Flu virus, which now means it can be caught by humans and passed on by people suffering with the illness.
Q: What would I experience if I got it?
A: There a number of symptoms that people experience... the most common ones are: fever (feeling shivery cold or getting very hot); feeling very tired: your muscles will be achy; you are likely to lose your appetite; your throat will be sore; and you may get a cough and runny nose. Some people have also reported that they were sick and had diarrhoea (the runs).
Q: How long will the symptoms last?
A: For most people its seems to last about a week.
Q: When I turn on the television or read a newspaper all the headlines are about Swine Flu - it scares me!
A: It's quite normal to be upset and frightened by what you hear on the news. It's in the news because this type of Flu is new and these things don't happen very often. Also a lot of people are catching it around the world.
Q: What should I do if I am frightened?
A: Remember it is quite normal to be upset by news stories. The important thing is that you don't bottle up your feelings - ask your parents or carers to talk about it with you, or ask your teacher, school nurse or youth worker at school to talk about it. You can always send a question to W4Y problem pages and we can get our experts to answer them for you.
Q: Will people die?
A: Sadly some people have died in Mexico, where the outbreak first started. There is no getting away from it, all types of Flu are serious and a lot of people die each year from it, however at the moment the symptoms people are experiencing outside of Mexico are reasonably mild.
Q: Are there any steps I can take to avoid getting it and passing it on?
A: Yes. Follow these simple steps..
Carry tissues with you and cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Remember the procedure... CATCH IT... BIN IT... KILL IT.
Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water or sanitising gel.
Don't spit.
Q: What should I do if I catch the Flu?
A: Your parents or carers will look after you. They can get advice from the National Flu Line on 0800 1 513 513, or they can contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or they can contact your family Doctor. There are some drugs you can take which will ease the symptoms.
Q: Where can I get more information?
A: Log onto Wealden District Councils website (http://www.wealden.gov.uk), there are links there. You can also go to any of the main television channels Website's like the BBC, ITV and SKY.
