HYDERABAD: Simply wearing a surgical mask may not be enough to protect oneself from swine flu, came the warning from physicians at a city hospital on Monday. At a meeting held at the Wockhardt Hospital, Pulmonologist Dr Vyakarnam Nageshwar observed that “there is little public knowledge about the H1N1 Influenza, which can risk in patients practicing self-medication, or infecting those around them.”
Though the numbers in India are low, when compared to countries in North and South America, Dr Vyakaranam said that “the only way to keep the situation under control would be to educate the public on preventive measures.” He suggested that the situation is such that the virus can cause an outbreak anytime, through any patient who might be unaccounted in the general population. The official word on the matter, however is to not panic. However, both private and public service physicians in the area have agreed that awareness generation regarding H1N1 Influenza need to be disseminated effectively among the public.
The Head of Operations at the hospital, Sudhakar Jadhav said that the swine flu situation is now a global health emergency, to which Dr Vyakaranam added that “owing to the mutation capabilities of the virus, the infection can quickly develop resistance to drugs, which is cause for concern.”
Upon inquiring about the measures that need to be undertaken to prevent the incidence of the H1N1 Influenza, Dr Vyakaranam said that individuals should exercise caution while sneezing or coughing in public places.
“The use of tissues, along with regular washing of hands with soap and water should be the foundation of the prevention process,” he said, adding that “upon encountering telltale symptoms of the virus, one should contact the local health authorities with due promptness.” The symptoms are, as he noted, “shortness of breath, high fever, dehydration and dizzy spells.”
Speaking of the effectiveness of wearing face masks, Dr Vyakaranam explained that while the face masks could potentially block the airborne droplets from patients, even specialised masks like the N95 mask would not be able to block the entry of the viruses.” While wearing masks, he added, “caution should also be exercised to prevent reusing and sharing of masks, which could always pose a threat of contamination.” The total number of people in the city, who were affected by swine flu and are being treated or have recovered, stands at 16.
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