A year ago we were terrified of chickens. The governments of some southeast Asian countries ordered the extermination of millions of chickens to prevent the spread of the bird flu, the dreaded H5N1. This threat did not develop. It is still lurking about somewhere. Now the farm animal du jour to fear is not the chicken, but the pig. The swine flu has made big news. A fairly large number of cases have been reported in Mexico and in much smaller numbers in European countries and our country. So far the vast majority of deaths from the swine flu have been in Mexico. Truthfully it is not pigs that are the problem, but us. This virus, unlike the bird flu virus, has the ability to transmit from person to person. No pigs are needed. That is why the bird flu has not posed a real threat and why the swine flu may.

The swine flu, alias the H1N1 flu, is still a relatively unknown quantity. There are currently more questions about it than answers. For example; Will it spread to become a pandemic? How lethal is it? Why did it kill so many of the infected folks in Mexico and so far only one in the U.S.? Will it mutate and become more deadly?

What we do know is how to prevent the illness. The basics of prevention are all about keeping the virus out of your eyes, nose, and mouth. If we could remove your heads and put them in a zip lock baggy, the flu epidemic would die just right now. Here is the next best strategy. 1) Stay away from sick people. You need a distance of at least six feet to be “away”. 2) Wash you hands a lot. It takes 30 seconds of washing to kill the virus which is why I use alcohol hand gel (at least 60% alcohol) instead which only takes about 10 seconds. 3) Don’t touch your face. Your fingers could be absolutely dripping with virus, but if you don’t put them up your nose, you won’t get sick. 4) Use an N-95 mask while in risky situations such as in crowds or around sick people. I just happen to be selling them out of the back of my car for $500 apiece.

The sick people can help others keep well also. They should cover their cough, wear a mask, wash their hands, and most importantly STAY HOME. It’s not that we don’t like you; it’s just that we don’t like you right now. If you develop a serious flu with breathing difficulties, then of course you need to be seen at the clinic. We can help the very ill get better. Everyone else will get better on their own.

The San Juan County Health department, under the guidance of Dr. Frank James, wants to have anyone with fever and either a cough or sore throat evaluated for the flu. If you develop these symptoms, call the clinic right away and we will run away. Actually we will make sure that you get tested. We would like to track and treat this new flu as well as is possible, because of what it is and because of what it may become. If you want more information, go to the CDC website (www.cdc.gov), call our local health department, or call the clinic. Wash your hands.