This outbreak of swine flu is worth taking very seriously. Like the 1918 influenza outbreak, the early reports of local outbreaks have been split between mild disease or severe symptoms that kill unusual numbers of people in their prime. Just because the New York cases have been mild is no prediction that this won't get much uglier in short order. Influenza virus have unusual genetics, allowing milder phenotypes to carry the genes for a severe form (and vice-versa), with rapid shifts between the two disease forms in a rapidly spreading epidemic.

Erica's feature a couple of years ago on what an Avian influenza outbreak would be like is a good place to start. So is my post, courtesy of my public health nurse mom. The advice is about the same....


Unlike the typical annual influenza outbreak, deadly mostly for those very young or old, H5N1 kills people with the healthiest immune systems—people in their twenties. This virus, like the 1918 influenza, induces a panic response from our immune systems; for people in their twenties, it is your own immune system that does you in.

We have much better drugs to control the immune system, things like cortico-steroids....

The best plan is not getting infected. Here are some hints on how to that:

Avoid prolonged or close exposure to people who are infected.

Wash your hands. Start with the habit of washing every time you enter your home, and before every meal. For when soap and water isn’t available, carry some instant hand sanitizer—like Purell and with at least 60% alcohol—and use a dime-sized drop that will keep your hands wet for at least 10 seconds.

Use a surgical mask—available at drug or grocery stores—if you go out during the outbreak. It should be good enough to protect you from the virus-carrying droplets, provided you stay 3-6 feet away from someone coughing. And cover your own coughs.

Stock up on food and water.

The Federal Government's pandemic flu website is pretty slammed right now. King County Public Health's pandemic flu website is up and running, and one of the best put together sites.