How to tell H1N1 from regular flu??? Help!

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I know that the flu is no big deal, but that doctor is an idiot. There's no sense in that statement at all. Sure, it's nothing to HIM if you get sick. I'd stay farther away from him than from any suspected flu carriers.

I hate disrespectful doctors. It's like you're just a dumb kid, and they'll say whatever stupid thing first comes to mind, just to shut you up.

Just stick to the usual precautions and I think you should be Ok. Wash hands with soap & water as often as possible; don't touch your face; don't share dishes, towels...; watch out for door knobs and other spots everyone touches; clean tables and other surfaces as often as possible; think about how & where you cough or sneeze, cover with a tissue or cough into your shoulder or something; keep a little bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket...

Actually, it went to pandemic status on June 11, 2009. WHO isn't counting cases any more, just keeping track of those who succumb. The good news is it is milder than they thought. However, there are certain people more at risk (pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems or underlying medical conditions, etc) , than others so one should watch out for difficulty in breathing, etc, and someone who falls into risk categories probably wouldn't be doing themselves a disfavor by getting themselves checked out. There have been at least two camps nearby that had h1n1 sweep through recently, but all recovered nicely. That is unusual though, just because it is July and in the 30 Celsius temperature range - our flu season happens more in the cooler months, not mid summer. What they are worried about is that these things come in waves of illness and we might only be seeing a precursor, and they don't want it to be another 1918. Also, flu season is on and running in other parts of the world right now, so h1n1 could be happily mutating for round two.

They were initially worried because all the wrong people were dying of H1N1 - that put it on the level of SARS in lethal capacity. As I say, though, it seems to have leveled out to being just another nasty flu, but I wouldn't say it should be just ignored either. I agree that the media likes to put a panic spin on things - right now we have a forest fire in the region, and to hear them tell it, the whole valley is on fire, but the locals know better - news outlets should be listened to with a skeptical ear.

The only way to tell what virus it is is to have it sampled and sent to a lab. To prevent it is to follow the motherhood principles of wash your hands, don't touch your face and don't be in a spray zone if you can help it. If you do get it, keep hydrated, contact your doctor, get plenty of rest and try not to spread the love around.