Public Health and Wellness: GUWellness: Mind, Body, Soul

This week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a nationwide public health emergency declaration in response to recent human infections with newly discovered swine influenza A (swine flu) virus. Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans; however, human infections with swine flu do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been documented. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork products. The declaration allows HHS the flexibility, while it learns more about the virus and its impact in the United States, to take additional steps to fully mobilize our prevention, treatment and mitigation capabilities if necessary.

In addition, HHS is working across agencies to coordinate response to the swine flu outbreak. For example, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working together to develop a vaccine precursor that could be used to develop a vaccine for this swine flu virus.

There have been confirmed cases of swine Influenza A in California, Texas, Kansas, New York, and Ohio. No deaths in the U.S. have been reported due to the illness. Additional cases of the virus have been confirmed in Mexico and Canada.

At this time there are no CDC recommendations for US travelers to change, restrict of alter travel plans, however, there are several wellness guidelines one can follow: cover your cough or sneeze, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes directly, wear a mask if traveling or working in an enclosed area where the air re-circulates, and visit a doctor if you or your loved ones have fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

The public health emergency declaration is available at http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/phe_swh1n1.html or for more information visit: www.cdc.gov/swineflu

Source: National Wellness Institute, May 2009