FLU-ID

The Independence Day commemmoration in school was a subdued affair due to the scare of Swine Flu. My thought veered to this disease which has become a sort of monster. Of course, one has to take precaution. One should avoid crowded places, wash hands regularly, avoid coming in contact with the patients, wear masks or cover face with handkerchief while sneezing, avoid shaking hands. Some of these precautions are taken even when we have any other contagious disease. The problem arises when people do not think rationally and spread rumours.

Origin of Swine Flu :

As the name suggests, Swine flu origininated from swine (pigs). I have no idea from what source the swine contacted the virus. But it did spread to humans. The swine breeders used to come in to close contact with the infected swine. These swine sneeze just like we do. And when one of them sneezed they passed the virus to the swine breeders. Poor breeders may not even have been aware that they have got contagious disease. They must have continued with their routine and must have met lot of people, which, in turn, helped passing the infection to others.

How did this disease travel around the globe?'

Travellers from different countries must have reached the place where the patients suffering from this disease stayed. When they reached back to their country, they brought H1N1 virus along with them. Again, the process of coming in to contact with people helped in spreading the disease.

Who are at risk?

The groups at risk include children, elderly people, those with low immunity. What could be the cause of low immunity? Somewhere, we ourselves are at fault. Our body is a wonderful machine created by God. If given a chance, it repairs itself. If we get a disease like common cold, our body heals itself if given proper rest. But now people neither have time nor patience. So what do they do? Gulp medicines to get relief. As our body gets used to the medicines, its natural immunity is lost. I have seen some of my students take Crocin or Dispirin at the slightest sign of headache. And when our body really needs medicines, they become ineffective. Disease causing micro-organisms also gain immunity against diseases over a period of time. That is how certain diseases are becoming more dangerous than before.

Rumour :

I received a message from a few friends which stated that one should not drink Soft drinks like Appy or Fanta Apple as they contain Pig Fat which causes swine flu. I replied that this message may be the handiwork of some anti-MNC lobby which is working overtime. We may get indigestion and allergy and food poisoning if we eat uncooked or under cooked pig meat but swine flu? NEVER, for the simple reason that swine flu is an air-borne disease. It does not spread through food or water. I do not advocate drinking these soft drinks or eating pig meat but I wonder why people spread such rumour when people are already pressing the panic button! And I wonder why people do not think rationally when they receive messages like this

The points mentioned in this blog are solely mine. I am no doctor. May be, some of my doctor friends can explain better. But they’ll agree with what I told my friend 'Saavdhaani baratnaa zaroori hai par darnaa manaa hai.' (It is necessary to be cautious but getting scared is not allowed)