Small Town News

Learn facts before you panic about swine flu

---

The swine flu has arrived in Big Horn County, and from Frannie to Hyattville concerned residents are asking questions: How do I know if I have it? What can I do to avoid it? Should I hold my kids out of school if a student with the swine flu has been in their building?

We posed those questions to local health officials this week, and what we heard came as a surprise, as it did not match the level of hysteria that seems to be building across the country.

The consensus seems to be that the swine flu probably arrived in the county long before the first case was confirmed. Now that if s here, we must face the reality that it could be anywhere--in our schools, in our stores, in our government buildings ... anywhere.

What are we to do? The message from the health officials was a simple one. Go on living your life, but take precautions. Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Avoid contact with sick people. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

And if you develop influenza-like illness, stay home from work, school or travel until at least after you are free of fever. The CDC goes a step further, actually recommending that you stay out seven days from the onset of symptoms or until the symptoms go away.

Through mid August the CDC had documented slightly more than 500 deaths from the swine flu. To put that in perspective, about 36,000 die from the seasonal flu each year.

As you might expect, there is a wealth of information about the swine flu online. The Department of Health's site, www.health.wyo.gov, has answers to frequently asked questions, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's site, www.cdc.gov/hlnlflu/, has even more comprehensive information.



Copyright 2009 Greybull Standard, Greybull, Wyoming. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2009 Greybull Standard Greybull, Wyoming. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from Greybull Standard