Wear 3-layer mask, avoid crowded places: Anchalia

Swine flu is spreading at lightning speed in India and has already claimed four lives in the country. People are getting into panic mode because of this and running to doctors. But this is not time to panic. People should act wisely according to doctor's advice, feels Dr MM Anchalia, medical superintendent of Civil Hospital here.

Swine flu is pandemic in nature and one must take enough care to protect oneself from this disease which is infectious. People should avoid crowded places such as movie halls and other public places. People who had been to foreign countries might be in incubation period.

"It is advisable to wear three-layer mask in public places as part of precautionary actions," says Anchalia. Apart from that, it is needed to wash hands with soap frequently. By doing this, one could avoid infection caused by things he might
have touched unknowingly, she says.

More importantly, one should get in touch with a competent physician in case of fever, cough and other symptoms and get admitted to government hospital immediately, if required. It is also required that the patient should follow the advice of the doctor and take medicines regularly.

The common symptoms of swine flu include fever more than 380 C, cough, head and body pain and nasal discharge. Though the symptoms of viral fever and swine flu are more or less same, if one has history of visiting foreign country or having contact with swine flu positive person, one must contact government hospital immediately, she said.