St Mary’s school, pune will be closed from 6th to 9th August 2009 as a precautionary measure against Swine Flu.
School will assess the situation on Sunday to decide whether to reopen on Monday 10th August.
Even though no case of H1N1 virus was detected in St Mary’s School Pune, the management took this wonderful step to prevent any spreading of the disease amongst it’s students.
All Schools must close down for a week just to ensure the kids stay at home and do not get in contact with any one who is a carrier of H1N1. A week’s holiday will not make much of a difference in the life, as compared to endangering lives of small kids who are most susceptible to H1N1 virus.
Also parents should take the decision independently, as to what is more precious to them, the stress of sending the children to school now when ideally all schools should be closed down or to wait till the school declares holiday !
Schools in Pune close down from 7th Aug 2009
Swine Flu is known to infect the children more than the adults.
The International Center for Infectious Diseases states the following:
1. What is Swine Flu ?
It is a form of influenza that infects respiratory organs.
2. Why is it dangerous?
a) Virulence – how quickly and spreads easily – H1N1 Virus spreads quickly.
b) How much tissue damage the virus causes resulting in severe illness or death – H1N1 virus seems to be quite damaging to the tissue
3. Why is the Swine Flu from Mexico considered to be a threat?
It’s a strain of influenza that results in the deaths of young healthy individuals.
1 in 1000 individuals who get ill with this flu will die, as per the data available from Mexico.
4. What are the symptoms of H1N1 viral flu?
a) Fever often upto 104 degree Fahrenheit.
b) Chills
c) Severe muscle pain
d) Headache
e) Cough which is often non-productive in normal people. Those with previous respiratory infection, symptoms may worsen.
f) Nasal discharge and stuffiness or a sore throat in few
g) Fatigue, often sever lasting from 7 to 10 days
h) Diarrhea in few
i) Any one already suffering from heart or lung related disease may notice their symptoms worsening.
How does this virus spread and infect?
Through droplets of saliva or running nose , transmitted by coughing, talking and sneezing.
The virus enters through nose when it’s breathed in especially in a crowded place like schools, bus, malls, restaurants or movie halls etc.
Through eyes or mouth when virus is touched by hand. (That is why thorough washing reduces risk).
2) When is someone with influenza most infectious?
After getting in touch with the virus, there is an incubation period of 2 – 5 days which is short. In case you cross 7 days after coming in contact with an infected person safely, it’s rare to get ill with this flu.
The virus is maximum in quantity within 24 hours of getting ill. It’s quantity reduces after 2-3 days, making lesser chance of infecting others.
3) How effective are masks in spreading the virus?
Not much effective .
Wearing a mask N95 mask, which fit tightly on the face can be effective when you are caring an infected person or when you are sick with the flu. N95 reduces the rate of spreading of the virus through nose and mouth by 80-90%, when worn by infected individuals.
A healthy person wearing the mask is not protected.
4) Flu shot in 2008?
No information is available that flu shot taken in 2008 will prevent one from this virus.
5) What and how effective are the current drugs?
No study on how effective the current drugs are on this virus.
But past studies in Canada of these drugs suggest:
Osteltamivir ( Tamiflu) taken orally
Zanamivir by inhalation
can prevent this flu if you are exposed or help in recovery and prevent seriousness.
The effect of these two drugs on H1N1 is still not very sure that they can prevent death.
Where-to-buy-medicine-for-swine-flu
6) Can I get swine flu from eating pork?
No
7) Does Quarantine work as a strategy to prevent spread of the flu?
Following strategies have helped to prevent spread of the flu:
a) Dispersion of crowds
b) Closing down of school/ workplaces/ tamples/ churches/ mosques/ movie halls/ public places.
c) Avoiding travelling / holidaying during this phase to prevent spread or getting infected.
d) Encouraging infected people to stay at home.
e) Air travel does increase chances of getting infected due to re-breathing of air.
For detailed report visit www.icid.com
email info@icid.com
contact Dr Allan Ronald, ICID, Canada
GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT OF SWINE FLU
City
Hospital Address Contact
Chennai
King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service)
Guindy, Chennai – 32
(044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522
Communicable Diseases Hospital
Thondiarpet, Chennai
(044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543
Government General Hospital
Opp. Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03
(044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300
Pune
Naidu Hospital
Nr Le’Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune – 01
(020) 26058243
National Institute of Virology
20A Ambedkar Road , Pune – 11
(020) 26006290
Difference between common flu and swine flu
Kolkata
ID Hospital
57,Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road , Kolkata – 10
(033) 23701252
Coimbatore
Government General Hospital
Near Railway Station,
Trichy Road, Coimbatore – 18
(0422) 2301393, 2301394, 2301395, 2301396
Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital ,
Erragadda, Hyderabad
(040) 23814939
Mumbai
Kasturba Gandhi Hospital
Arthur Road, N M Joshi Marg, Jacob Circle , Mumbai – 11
(022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512
Sir J J Hospital
J J Marg, Byculla, Mumbai – 08
(022) 23735555, 23739031, 23760943, 23768400 / 23731144 / 5555 / 23701393 / 1366
Haffkine Institute
Acharya Donde Marg, Parel, Mumbai – 12
(022) 24160947, 24160961, 24160962
Kochi
Government Medical College
Gandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam – 08
(0481) 2597311,2597312
Government Medical College
Vandanam P O, Allapuzha – 05
(0477) 2282015
Taluk Hospital
Railway Station Road , Alwaye, Ernakulam
(0484) 2624040 Sathyajit – 09847840051
Taluk Hospital
Perumbavoor PO , Ernakulam 542
(0484) 2523138 Vipin – 09447305200
Gurgaon &;
Delhi
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road , New Delhi – 29
(011) 26594404, 26861698 Prof. R C Deka – 9868397464
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
22, Sham Nath Marg,
New Delhi – 54
(011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
Kharak Singh Marg,
New Delhi – 01
(011) 23741640, 23741649, 23741639
Dr. N K Chaturvedi – 9811101704
Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute
University Enclave, New Delhi- 07
(011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182
Bangalore
Victoria Hospital
K R Market, Kalasipalayam, Bangalore – 02
(080) 26703294 Dr. Gangadhar – 94480-49863
SDS Tuberculosis & Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases
Hosur Road, Hombegowda Nagar, Bangalore – 29
(080) 26631923 Dr. Shivaraj – 99801-48780
also see this site http://www.parentree.in/Parentree-editors/journal-1301/Swine-flu–H1N1—-Pregnancy—Precautions–Symptoms–What-to-do—.html
Madhurie Singh . Com 