K. JAVEED NAYEEM writes: Whether we accept it or deny it, it is a fact that Swine Flu cases are on the increase in our country.
It is a potentially dangerous and often fatal affliction with a very high degree of infectivity brought on by physical contact and droplet transmission through coughing and sneezing. Anxious patients and their accompanying persons ask me how they can avoid getting infected.
Here are the most effective measures that can arrest its spread.
# Firstly, avoid shaking hands with all the persons you meet in a show of great Western warmth. A very Indian ‘Namaste’ or ‘Aadab’ can be an equally warm way of expressing your affection and regard without endangering yourselves and the person you are greeting.
# Secondly, avoid hugging people and pecking them on their cheeks as most members of the fair sex do these days. It is certainly more dangerous than shaking hands.
# Thirdly, avoid very crowded areas and air-conditioned halls without good cross-ventilation. Air conditioners are notorious for ensuring that all those present receive a fair dose of the infection they are trying hard to avoid!
# Lastly, if you are in doubt, use hand sanitisers liberally to keep yourself safe after shaking hands, especially with your doctor!
(K. Javeed Nayeem is a practising physician who writes a weekly column in Star of Mysore, where the full version of this piece appeared)
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A doctor’s prescription for a happy, new year
churumuri 
Thank you Dr. Javed saheb, as usual you are always at the service of the society. Personally, I am indebted to you for your efforts although I am far away in Delhi, the national capital. The next time I come over to Bangalore, I will surely visit Mysore and meet you…
Suresh
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Why don’t we just seclude ourselves in a room until the vaccines are invented?
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Good advice but even better if you understand how respiratory viruses operate! In fact they use us to do the spreading for them and realising this makes it obvious what we can do to thwart them. They spread by droplet – an infected person (who may not appear to be ill) rubs their nose, coughs or sneezes over surfaces and touched handles, cutlery, taps etc leaving virus. Then we come along and touch the surface picking it up and hey presto the next thing is we are putting a finger tip in our mouth or giving our nose a quick rub or even our eyes. We have lifted the virus to our ‘front door’! So yes wash hands but first avoid touching things at all if you can. Wash hands before laying the table or touching your face. In fact it is so hard not to touch one’s face that this is where a mask comes in handy – it may be little help if someone sneezes in your face but it sure does prevent you touching your nose and mouth! Of course children are the best for spreading viruses so ideally they are not at school during a pandemic. We are at war with viruses and we need to wise up by knowing their methods – shouting orders without explanation is rather ineffective…
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“Fear Factor” is good for the industry! Spread the virus, spread the scare…and the masks, vaccines, medicines sell…I agree with Dr Javeed, simple measures can prevent the spread of H1N1. But it is no different from our good old “common cold”! Know more about H1N1 in http://h1n1mafia.blogspot.com
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