It’s difficult to escape the noise surrounding swine flu at the moment. And in that noise, it’s also sometimes difficult to distinguish accurate, useful information from hearsay and bluster. We’re all in favour of people making informed decisions, so we’ve put together a two-part guide to present you with the facts about swine flu. This first part deals with general information, and the second part deals more specifically with how swine flu affects travel insurance.

So what is swine flu?

Swine flu (also ‘pig flu’ and ‘hog flu’) is a virus which spreads among pigs, of which outbreaks are commonplace globally. It can occasionally infect humans, and a version of the H1N1 subtype is what is currently affecting some people in the UK and worldwide.

When the virus does transmit from pigs to humans it usually comes from people having close contact with live infected swine. You are extremely unlikely to catch it by eating pork, as the virus is killed when cooked at temperatures of 70°C.

What are the symptoms?

Someone suffering from swine flu will have similar complaints to those suffering from regular influenza. The symptoms include fever, chills, coughing, sore throat, body aches, headache, fatigue, and now increasingly frequently diarrhea and vomiting.

Am I at risk?

Anybody could potentially catch an airborne virus, much as they could with regular influenza. But let us be clear here – that doesn’t mean that it poses a serious threat to the majority of people who do. The greatest threat is to children younger than five, pregnant women, and people with existing health conditions such as lung, heart, kidney or liver disease, neurological diseases and diabetes. If you are fit and healthy, you’ve got no real cause to worry – but you should be careful not to spread it if you do catch it, or suspect you’ve been exposed to it.

What can I do?

Prevention is always better than cure, and a few steps can be taken to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. The NHS advises the following:

• If you feel a cough or sneeze coming on, be sure to cover your nose and mouth with a tissue.
• Dispose of said tissues promptly and carefully.
• Be hygienic. Washing hands frequently for example can stop the spread of the virus from your hands to face, and to others.
• Clean hard surfaces such as door handles regularly.

It’s not really possible to eliminate all risk in a practical sense, but there are further precautions you can take. The NHS recommend:

• See that you have a network of ‘flu friends’ – i.e. friends or relatives who could help you if you become ill. For example, they could fetch you medicines and supplies if you’re poorly, so that you stay at home and limit the chance of spreading the virus.
• Know your NHS number and those of other family members. You can still get treatment if you don’t, but knowing them can save any NHS staff that have to deal with you a lot of time, as they will have much easier access to your health records. You can find your number on your NHS card if you still have it, or any letter from your GP, prescribed medication you have or a hospital appointment card or letter.

Treatment

It’s an idea to have a supply of antiviral medication handy, such as cough and cold medicines, and start taking them sooner rather than later if you become ill. Also it’s worth having a thermometer to see if you have a fever (38°C and above).

At the time of writing, the Department of Health is about to launch the National Flu Service. This will be a hotline and website that will allow sufferers access to swine flu drugs without having to consult a GP. Pregnant women, children younger than one and people with health conditions will still all be referred to GPs