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Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu and typically include a feverish illness, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and muscle aches. Some people have reported diarrhoea and vomiting. In young children, warning signs include fast or troubled breathing, a bluish skin tone and irritability.

 

 

Yes. Testing has shown that it can be treated with the anti-viral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zamanivir (Relenza), which stop the virus from replicating inside your body. To be most effective, they should be taken less than two days after you first develop symptoms.

 

 

There are several things you should do if you develop symptoms:

• Avoid contact with other people as much as possible
• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
• Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to your face or to other people
• Clean hard surfaces, such as door handles or telephones, regularly using a normal cleaning product
• Contact your GP by phone or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647

Make sure your children follow the same advice.

 

 

If you’ve developed symptoms, wearing a mask can help prevent you passing the infection onto others. If you’re healthy, however, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that wearing one will prevent you from catching the virus. If you do decide to wear a face mask, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly when you take it off and dispose of it straight away. Reusing a face mask can increase the risk of self-contamination.

 

 

Monitor your health for seven days, but you don’t need to be isolated from other people. If you develop a feverish illness during that time, along with any of the other symptoms listed above, contact your GP by phone or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647. Make sure you tell them where you had travelled to.

 

 

If your doctor decides further investigation is needed, he or she will advise you on what to do. You may have to go to hospital for tests, but most people are well enough to stay at home. Make sure you avoid contact with other people as much as possible until the results of your tests are back. People who live with you should also monitor their health and follow the above advice if they start to develop symptoms.

 

 

Not yet, but the World Health Organisation has ordered the production of one.

 

 

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