How is the Swine Flu Transmitted? Human to Human Contact of H1N1 Virus Explained

How is the swine flu transmitted? That is the question on the minds of many people as the H1N1 virus continues to spread. Currently, the disease is spread through human to human contact. When someone coughs or sneezes, they emit particles that contain the virus. When you touch something that has the particles on it and then touch your mouth or nose, you can pick up the flu yourself.

If someone you know has H1N1, you should be particularly careful to avoid any bodily fluid transfer.

But, you are not going to know whether the people you come into contact with on a daily basis have it. While 5500 Americans have been hospitalized and 363 have died of the illness, the fact is that many people who come down with it think they have traditional influenza. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 40 percent of Americans will come down with it in the next 2 years, so it is something to be very concerned with.

The problem is that someone with only mild symptoms can pass on the disease to another person who will develop a more serious version. In fact, in one of the earliest deaths in the United States, a vice principle at a school picked up the disease from some students who had traveled to Mexico over spring break. The students had only mild symptoms.

To minimize the chances you will come down with Swine Flu, wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Wash for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing vigorously. You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Remember, person to person contact is how is the Swine Flu transmitted, so, if possible, minimize contact with people who are affected. If you become sick, you owe it to the people around you and the general public to stay home from work or school. Also, cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and immediately dispose of the tissue. Then, immediately wash your hands. Finally, when you are sick, disinfect surfaces often. That, in a nutshell, answers the question "how is the swine flu transmitted?"

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