Swine Flu Quiz. 16 th Feb Dr. Hitendra Patel Location: OHC, Adani Power Ltd, Mundra

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Jeffry Gray
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1 Swine Flu Quiz 16 th Feb 2015 Dr. Hitendra Patel Location: OHC, Adani Power Ltd, Mundra

2 The people by having simple cold, cough or sore throat become panic having a word known Swine Flu by so many sources. Here's a quiz that readies you to take on the pandemic. I have collected a quiz from reliable sources & published in TOI by opinion of expert physicians of Indian Medical Association. Take this quiz to know how much you really know about the virus before panicking in your doc's waiting room:

3 1. Wearing a mask will ensure complete safety from the swine flu virus. a) True b) False Answer B. "Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease which is airborne. However, it can also spread through fomites, which are objects or substances capable of carrying infectious organisms (germs or parasites). Thus, making them capable of transferring the virus from one individual to another," explains Dr Thackar. What this essentially means is that you should be careful of not only covering your mouth during a sneeze or a cough, but also being careful of body contact. The virus, says Dr Thackar, can spread even if a healthy person comes in contact with a piece of cloth an infected individual had touched.

4 2. You are slated for travel to an affected area. Should you start drug-therapy? a) Yes b) No Answer B. Dr Pratit Samdani, professor of medicine and consulting internist at Jaslok Hospital, says pumping the body with swine flu drugs is foolhardy. "It's abusing the drug rather than using it wisely. There's likelihood that you will become drug resistant. Thus, if in future you do catch the infection the drug will not be effective. Besides, taking the drug without having the condition can cause side-effects such as nausea, head aches and loss of appetite," he adds.

5 3. You have greater chances of contracting the infection... a) In a park b) Touching the handle in your local train Answer B. Dr Samdani says most often we contract infections from sources we haven't even considered. For instance, touching the handle of the office door (ever thought about how many hands it has been touched by and when it was last disinfected?). "Wash your hands before meals, and even after getting home from work. Use disinfectants to clean the surface around your workstation and your house," says Dr Samdani.

6 4. A family member has been diagnosed with swine flu, you should: a) Move into your neighbor s home till they have been cured b)keep them isolated in one room in the house Answer B. If one of your family members has been infected, you can keep them isolated in one room of the house. "Since the patient can cough and spread the virus, it's important that the room has windows, which can be left slightly ajar," says Dr Samdani

7 5. You've had a cold and a cough for over two days. Is it time to panic? a) Yes. Rush to your GP immediately and ask for a throat swab to test for H1N1 b) No. Attend to the symptoms by taking medicines and wait for hours Answer B. Dr Thackar says that patients needn't panic if they have symptoms such as a cough and a cold. "For the first hours, stick to symptomatic medication. Rest and relax at home. It's only if the cough and fever get worse, after 48 hours, should you consult your physician and ask for a throat swab," he says.

8 6. There are certain high risk categories. Can you spot them? a) Those with diabetes, chronic lung diseases or low immunity b) Those are lax with their exercise regime c) Those whose family member was at some point diagnosed with swine flu Answer A. Swine flu is a communicable disease, not a genetic one. However, pre-existing ailments such as diabetes do put you at higher risk says Dr Samdani. He adds that the elderly and infants younger than six months old are at major risk, too.

9 7. Preventive swine flu vaccines are ideal for... a) Those allergic to medication b) Children younger than six months old c) Those whose family members were at some point diagnosed with swine flu Answer C. "People who tend to care for swine flu patients are likely to get the influenza from them due to its highly contagious nature. If you are a health-care professional or have someone in your family who has been infected, you should opt for a vaccine," says Dr Samdani. He also cautions that a vaccine doesn't guarantee immunity from the disease, but gives you a per cent chance of avoiding a few strains of the influenza.

10 8. Swine flu is more common during winters. a) True b) False Answer A. It should respond to timely treatment and good supportive care. The contagion effect should be looked into, which includes isolation of patients. Preventing the spread of the disease is vital. The silver lining is that this occurs mostly during winters, as the season changes and the temperature rises, we should see a decline in H1 and N1 cases," says Dr Thacker.

11 9. Have plenty of this one thing and you've upped your chances of keeping swine flu's worst at bay. a) Sunflower seeds b) Water c) Quinoa Answer B. "Drinking plenty of water ensures that your body stays hydrated," says Dr Samdani, adding that one of the reasons swine flu patients experience vomiting and diarrhoea is because they are dehydrated. In such cases, they may even need intravenous

12 Thank You

Influenza and Pandemic Flu Guidelines

Influenza and Pandemic Flu Guidelines Introduction Pandemic flu is a form of influenza that spreads rapidly to affect most countries and regions around the world. Unlike the 'ordinary' flu that occurs