The Conquistador

Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Opinion

Vincent Marshall

Pandemic - when people see the word, there is a cold shiver that trickles down their spine. Even more so when it is possible that whatever the pandemic might be, there is a chance it could end up in our own backyard.
In the past few weeks, the news spread across the country that an outbreak of what has been known as swine flu, ripped its way through Mexico cities and towns, collecting an eye-opening death toll that has shaken up the "close the border," debate to almost being a possibility of happening.
Swine flu might sound like you need to cut bacon from your diet, but that is not the case. In fact, Robin Lloyd, LiveScience senior editor, said, "Swine flu cannot be spread by properly cooked pork, but you can get it from contact with infected pigs."
What exactly is "it," then?
Lloyd states that "flu is a type A/H1N1 flu virus, is most commonly spread in liquid droplets made airborne by coughing or sneezing. This is a highly contagious illness. Sick or not, cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing and watch your hands frequently, especially after using a tissue. Don't touch your nose or mouth, or rub your eyes. Throw away tissues after use."
Sounds like something that can be easily avoided, and in actuality, it is. The reason for the uproar is that when swine flu started, it came with a vengeance that tends to send any nation and its people heading to local hospitals just because they have, say, one particular symptom of the recent outbreak.
I myself witnessed this recently when I walked into the emergency room at Western Plains Medical Complex - and, no, not for swine flu. While waiting to see a doctor, an older Hispanic couple was hunched over their chairs, faces covered in doctor's masks - something experts believe cuts down on the spread of the disease.
Now, whether this couple actually had swine flu I will never know. But what it told me was this illness has to be already here. By here I mean the U.S., and yes, even our small town of Dodge City. Granted, many people might "feel" like they have the disease, but the likelihood so far seems minimal.
It doesn't mean we cannot take precautions. Taking Lloyd's advice on cleanliness is a great first step, but there is more to do.
First off is that if any of these particular symptoms arise, I would say get to a doctor as soon as possible. These include high fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, runny nose and body aches - usually what I feel like after a good night's drinking. So, it goes without saying, even if these symptoms arise, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is indeed swine flu, just the good ol' fashioned flu that most of us get right after a "flu shot."

Continued...

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