# Swine flu question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382 "2009-04-26T04:43:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purple\_haze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@purple\_haze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_haze)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/1 "2009-04-26T04:43:14Z")
I’ve been hearing that there is a swine flu outbreak in Mexico that is causing some concern right now. There have been several cases identified in California, but luckily nothing fatal in the USA. My question is, what are ways to prevent the spread of flu? My daughter is flying from California home; in fact, she should be boarding her plane within the next hour. Is it true that it’s pretty easy to catch what other passengers on a plane have? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/2 "2009-04-26T06:30:52Z")
> [@purple\_haze](#): > > I’ve been hearing that there is a swine flu outbreak in Mexico that is causing some concern right now. There have been several cases identified in California, but luckily nothing fatal in the USA. My question is, what are ways to prevent the spread of flu? > > My daughter is flying from California home; in fact, she should be boarding her plane within the next hour. Is it true that it’s pretty easy to catch what other passengers on a plane have? I cant ansewer to the travel aspect of your question, but preventing the spread is to break the chain of infection, and thats mainly staying home at the onset of flu like symptoms. Mostly its common sense, but I would expect local flare ups in different areas due to presenteeism in the work place. From what I can tell of my workplace when something hits , it usually starts with kids at school bringing it home, then parents bringing it to work, which then continues. Not a doctor , so listen to your local board or department of health for advice and stuff in your area. Declan ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/3 "2009-04-26T07:46:29Z")
You can make sure to wash your hands and it might help to wear a face mask [that covers your nose and mouth](http://www.survivalstore.com/moldexmask.html) like they do in [mexico city](http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/pandemic-surgical-mask/photo//090425/481/31c78ee60a194bc1beafd5801fdd74c1//s:/ap/20090425/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/med_swine_flu). Im curious as to how effecive these things are. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/4 "2009-04-27T00:05:54Z")
If a person got a flu shot last fall, will that reduce his or her chances of getting infected? Or is it irrelevant? ---
**Author:** ![Paige\_Turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Paige\_Turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paige_Turner)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/5 "2009-04-27T00:16:39Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > If a person got a flu shot last fall, will that reduce his or her chances of getting infected? Or is it irrelevant? Unfortunately it’s irrelevant. This swine flu is a hybrid of 4 varieties of pig, avian and human influenzas that isn’t even slightly similar to the human influenzas this year’s flu shot innoculates against. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/6 "2009-04-27T00:43:56Z")
> [@Paige\_Turner](#): > > Unfortunately it’s irrelevant. This swine flu is a hybrid of 4 varieties of pig, avian and human influenzas that isn’t even slightly similar to the human influenzas this year’s flu shot innoculates against. Actually, that’s not really true. The flu vaccine may provide some protection against the H3N2 strain, though not the H1N1 strain. So says the CDC. [http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key\_facts.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/7 "2009-04-27T00:46:09Z")
A friend in Mexico City wrote to me today, saying that her family all got flu vaccinations and are staying at home as much as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/8 "2009-04-27T00:55:49Z")
[This topic](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=515439) in Great Debates also discusses swine flu. I’d say, better safe than sorry. If she comes up with flu like symptoms, she should go in and get checked to be sure she doesn’t have swine flu. They are saying that one reason for some of the deaths in Mexico is because people waited too long to go in for medical help. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/9 "2009-04-27T02:18:34Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > The flu vaccine may provide some protection against the H3N2 strain, though not the H1N1 strain. Everything I’ve read about the outbreak in Mexico, and now spreading to the US, is that it’s type H1N1. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/10 "2009-04-27T12:52:24Z")
As of right now the Mexican swine flu strain seems to be sensitive to both Tamiflu and Relenza (oseltamivir and zanamivir). We’ll see how long that remains the case… [http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/?s\_cid=swineFlu\_outbreak\_internal\_001](http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_internal_001) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swine-flu-question/494382/11 "2009-04-27T13:18:55Z")
> [@purple\_haze](#): > > My daughter is flying from California home; in fact, she should be boarding her plane within the next hour. Is it true that it’s pretty easy to catch what other passengers on a plane have? IANAD (but maybe they’ll back me up on this if it’s on the level) but if I were boarding a commercial flight I’d wash my hands as often as possible, avoiding touching my face/nose/eyes _unless_ I had just immediately prior thoroughly washed my hands. After I got home I’d resolve not to worry about it _unless_ I started feeling ill, in which case I’d go to a doctor pronto. Which is what I’d do _anyway_, swine flu outbreak or not. If she was coming directly from Mexico City I’d be more concerned, but California is not a hot spot. An ordinary headcold might be picked up on such a flight, but very unlikely you’d get the current Flu of Concern.