Healthy Monday: What you need to know about Swine Flu

With forty cases of Swine Flu infection identified to date in the United States it is important to be aware and informed in order to protect yourself and your family. Swine Flu is spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing, and not from food. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.” Whether or not the production practices of said pork products had anything to do with the outbreak is another question, one that has been raised by our friend Tom Philpott at Grist, Mexican government officials and others. We’ll address that issue tomorrow. Meanwhile, here are some more helpful tips from the CDC to stay healthy:

• First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• 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. When you wash your hands — with soap and warm water — wash for 15 to 20 seconds.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Officials in many areas, including Mexico, where the outbreak began, are urging people to refrain from hugging, kissing and shaking hands.

• If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.