I know…another News Day Tuesday.  I’m crazy like that.

Just a few quick notes about the swine flu.  Reports so far indicate that this strain of flu doesn’t seem to be any deadlier than your average flu virus.  What does this mean?  It means that for most of us, if we do happen to catch the swine flu, then it’ll be pretty much like all the other times we’ve gotten the flu – we’ll suffer a bit for a few days, but come out okay at the end.

Most of us are NOT immune to this particular virus.  Now, for most us that’s not the end of the world because even if we get it, we most likely won’t die from it since our immune systems are in relatively good working order.  But, not having herd immunity to swine flu means it’s more likely to spread to people with weakened immune systems, who can’t fight off the flu as well as the rest of the population.  It is because we are trying to protect these people that we’re being put on alert.  Again, it’s not that the virus itself is more likely to kill the average person, but that it’s more likely to spread to those it can kill.

So do yourself and your fellow human beings a favor and take care of yourself.  Eat well, get enough rest, wash your hands regularly, don’t share food, don’t touch your eyes and mouth, avoid crowds if you can, especially in enclosed spaces for extended periods of time.  And if you ARE sick, for the love of all that’s holy, stay home.  Work on getting better, not on getting to work.  You’ll only cough and sneeze and spew snot and spit and spread the virus.  So stay home and get better quickly so that you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather. 

Also, after this flu wave passes, don’t let your guard down.  The flu often comes in waves, especially during seasonal changes.  So be particularly vigilant this fall about taking care of yourself because it might turn out to be a really rough flu season.

You can check out the CDC’s site for the latest update on swine flu cases in the States, or to see what their guidelines are for dealing with swine flu.