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If you have been the regular with your news channel, then you must be knowing that people from all over the globe are being fouled with H1N1 virus or better known as Swine Flu. It is also known as influenza H1N1 which has spread out to the other various countries majorly by travelling from one another country.
Influenza H1N1 is a virus that originated from pigs which was initially discovered in April, 2009. H1N1 virus has been found infecting the people and is spreading extensively. Due to this reason, it is very essential that people take all the sanitary and health precautions. Till now, this major virus has taken away a lot of lives not only in India or Asia, but it has spread its wings in all the parts of world.
H1N1 virus spreads just like the other seasonal virus that is through sneeze and cough. Although it spreads very easily like the other virus but it does not get away like them. It needs proper medication and alertness. With a lot of research, the vaccination and proper medication has been developed by the scientist who can now save the lives of the affected people.
A proper care has to be taken in order to beat this epidemic. Regular washing of hands is very essential. It is also important that if you are infected with the H1N1 virus, then you get cut off from the rest of the world so that others do not suffer from the same Influenza H1N1. Proper exercise, food and a healthy living can beat this life taking diseases which has already claimed a lot of lives in all over the world.
Bird Flu is becoming a dreadful terror for the countries especially in Asia. This epidemic has been growing drastically and has become a matter of major concern. According to a recent update and statistic, the bird flu has claimed lives of more than 50 people in the Southeast Asia and has also caused the death of the millions of the poultry. This virus of bird flu can become a major serious if it keep spreading with the same intensity and develops the ability of very easy transmission from person to person.
Due to this reason, it has now become very essential that people start taking the bird flu prevention so that this deadly flu does not spread and comes to an end.
The present bird flu is resistant to the older flu medications. But, the medicines remain susceptible to the new medicines or drugs such as Relenza or Ramiflu. But, the supplies of such drugs are really very less. The Antiviral drugs may also be used for the bird flu prevention and treatment against such influenza.
The vaccination is also a good idea to get away from the bird flu as you get immune and do not get affected by the attack of the virus.
Bird Flu has been claiming many lives since it’s on set and now it has become very essential that it is curbed down or else it might result in a pandemic. Other than the deaths, this diseases causes a lot more heath problems which includes respiratory illness, chest pains, sore throat, headaches, fever, conjunctivitis, breathing problems and a lot more health issues. Thus, taking a proper care and adopting bird flu prevention measures is a must.
Even as questions are being raised about whether the swine flu scare was blown up to benefit pharma companies, evidence has surfaced that several members of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) vaccine board which pushed countries to buy the H1N1 vaccine have had significant ties with pharma companies.
This fact, which is bound to raise issues of conflict of interest, was exposed by Danish daily ‘Information’ last month. TOI attempted to get WHO’s response, but several emails sent to the office of the WHO director-general on January 9 met with no response.
Documents acquired through the Danish Freedom of Information Act revealed that Prof Juhani Eskola, a Finnish member of the WHO board on vaccines, ‘Strategic Advisory Group of Experts’ (SAGE), received almost 6.3 million euros in 2009 for his vaccine research programme, THL, from the vaccine manufacturers, GSK, qualifying GSK as THL’s main source of income. SAGE advises WHO chief Margaret Chan and recommends which vaccines and how much of it member countries should purchase, pointed out the Danish newspaper.
Apart from Prof Juhani Eskola, who received almost 6.3 million euros for his vaccine research programme, Danish journalists reported on six other members of ‘Strategic Advisory Group of Experts’ (SAGE) with financial ties to various pharmaceutical companies. These include Dr Peter Figueroa, Dr Neil Ferguson, Prof Malik Peiris, Dr Arnold Monto, Dr Friedrich Hayden and Dr Albert Osterhaus. Barring Dr Figuero, who revealed that he had accepted a research grant from Merck, none of the others made any disclosures.
Many of the pharmaceutical companies with which the vaccine board members had ties, are also the manufacturers of vaccines including the H1N1 vaccine like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Novartis, Solvay, Baxter, MedImmune and Sanofi Aventis. None of the WHO members on the vaccine board, barring one, declared any conflict of interest despite having extensive financial ties with the pharmaceutical companies in the form of research grants and consultancies.
In a statement issued on December 3, 2009, WHO claims that numerous safeguards are in place to manage possible conflicts of interest or their perception. “Members of SAGE are required to declare all professional and financial interests, including funding received from pharmaceutical companies or consultancies or other forms of professional engagement with pharmaceutical companies.
The names and affiliations of members of SAGE and of SAGE working groups are published on the WHO web site, together with meeting reports and declarations of interest submitted by the experts. Allegations of undeclared conflicts of interest are taken very seriously by WHO, and are immediately investigated,” says the statement. However, there is no such disclosure by these SAGE members on the WHO website.
Swine flu is the most dreaded disease nowadays, basically A(H1N1) is the virus which is known as swine flu. Swine flu was first identified in Mexico and later spread widely in the most crowded cities of the world.
Initially, the A(H!N!) virus infects pigs, but later began to infect people as well. The Swine flu is a dreadful disease because the percentage of deaths has already crossed 50% of the confirmed cases.
How do we cure swine flu?
Firstly, we need to know about the symptoms of the Swine flu, so that we can recognize the disease. We can take ourselves safe by guarding ourselves not to be infected by the virus. If a people gets sick with flu symptoms in spite of the safety measures being observed, antiviral medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza could be taken to decrease the possibility of a swine flu virus. There are some natural cures for seasonal flu and possibly swine flu could be considered.
Though the U.S. and countries are still preparing the H1N1 vaccine and deciding if they will go to full blast production, natural cures could be taken into consideration.
There are several natural cures available for swine flu and we can follow as the below:
1. Take apple cider vinegar as a natural cure for swine flu. Apple cider vinegar keeps the body in an alkaline state so that disease could not reside. Just mix three spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water and drink the mixture three times a day.
2. A concoction of garlic, onion, ginger, vinegar and hot sauce is also a natural cure for swine flu. Use the blender to mix well and grind. This will make a natural antiviral cure for swine flu and other common flu.
3. Inhale 6 pumps of hydrogen peroxide every two hours to drive the virus away. In India, however, a doctor injected H2O2 to his dying flu patient. The patient was cured.
4. Take antiviral medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza to reduce the possibility of the swine virus. If the virus does not go away, see a doctor for intense medication.
Influenza or swine flu vaccines must be made fresh every year. Since, swine flu spread over touching or staying one with another. As a precautionary measure, we should try to avoid visiting the places infected with the swine flu.
Basically, swine flu spreads like the ordinary seasonal flu that spreads in the community. It is the community with less concern for cleanliness.
So, it could be concluded that despite our adopted precautionary measures, cleanliness is the number 1 requirement in order to avoid the swine flu virus.
The best way to cure swine flu is to follow the instructions of your doctor. Within two days, or even earlier, try to find your doctor’s treatment if you feel you have the virus. Your doctor would be the right person who can give the proper medication.
The health ministry has placed an order to import 1.5 million doses of the swine flu vaccine into India, which will be available in January.
This is contrary to the government’s earlier claims of importing four million doses of the vaccine. Indian manufacturers will now supply the remaining doses.
“We have placed an order for importing 1.5 million doses already,” said Vineet Chawdhry, joint secretary, health ministry. “Indigenous production of the vaccine will be ready by March, so we will have that available soon as well.”
The health ministry has been trying to make the vaccine available in India for the last two months and had sped up regulatory approvals for studies to be conducted on the safety of the vaccine.
Chawdhry said India’s Zydus Cadila would have the vaccine ready by March, so the government would not need to import batches, which is why an order for only 1.5 million doses has been placed at the moment.
Cadila is not one of the three Indian drug makers being supported by the government to develop and manufacture the H1N1 flu vaccine. The ones that are supported are Serum Institute of India Ltd, Bharat Biotech International Ltd and Panacea Biotech Ltd. According to ministry officials, who declined to be named, vaccines of these three firms will not be ready before April.
Chawdhry declined to name the overseas company that will supply the vaccine, citing a confidentiality clause. Ministry officials, however, have been in talks with four international vaccine makers—GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK), Baxter International Inc., Novartis AG and Sanofi Pasteur SA.
On 1 December, Mint reported that the vaccines could be available in the country by the end of the month following approvals by the Indian regulator for human clinical trials to two multinational drug makers, GSK and Baxter, while among Indian vaccine makers, only Zydus Cadila had submitted the clinical trial protocol to the regulator to conduct trials of its vaccine candidate.
The vaccine, said Chawdhry, would initially be made available to healthcare workers who come in direct contact with the virus and are at greater risk of being infected by it. It would could later be made available to the general public, either through government or private channels, he said.
As on 29 December, India reported 25,572 confirmed cases of swine flu, of which 898 resulted in death. Delhi reported 8,306 cases, the highest among the states.
According to World Health Organisation director general Margaret Chan, while the worst of the swine flu outbreak is over in the US and Canada, there is still intensive virus activity in some countries including India. Chan also warned that the virus could still mutate and countries must “guard against complacency”.