1. Symptoms?
Almost every health-related site around the globe, says that symptoms are like a common flu. And yes they are. I personally interviewed a nurse, from Mexico Health System, and he told me this:
You don’t need to have abundant nose mucus, feel extremely weak and have headaches, don’t wait for the high temperatures. Go to the hospital nearest to you, they will run the Real Time test on Influenza A. They will instruct you what to do.
If you have high temperatures, don’t start treating yourself with Tamiflu or any other antiviral, because you can make the virus resistant on your body if you don’t know the doses you need. Remember, there is another AH1N1 virus which is resistent to tamiflu. Let the doctors decide.
If you have the symptoms, and you are desperate for some air, well, you may have pneumonia, so stop reading, and call 911 (in USA) or 060 (in Mex) immediately.
2. How to avoid ER?
You can avoid visiting ER. Just drink lots and lots of purified water, eat chiken soup, beans and rest in isolation with open windows and a clean environment, and wait for the flu to remit – (take a shower whenerever it’s possible and wash your hands often). Once you feel ok, remain isolated two more days, and that’s all, you might be immune now! But you’ll never know since you didn’t take the test! 
— Ok, it’s just like a regular flu so far, but if you have high temperature (38.5 celsius or more), you don’t have any other option, but visiting ER.
3. Kids and schools
If your kid is symptomatic, simply, don’t send her or him to school. Wait for the ill to remit and two more days if you are in an epidemic zone. Go to ER to run Influenza A tests. It doesn’t matter if you have never been in Mexico. It started somewhere else, seriously. Let´s say – for now – in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to avoid personal offenses!
4. Is this the same virus that caused Spanish Influenza?
Even though it is the same subtype (H1N1), it is NOT the same virus, which can be assured by it’s much less virulence. It means that some parts of the Hemagglutinin have mutated and now are less virulent than the original 1918 strain. (Hemagglutinin is the protein responsible of “parking” the virus on the cell, the less “parking” capabilities, the less virulence).
5. Why the fear and hysteria?
Well, fear is sometimes understandable and even good for surviving, but hysteria is always bad. So, there is no “good” answer for this question. However, there is a good reason to fear, and it’s the Avian Flu.
In few words, if a human catches Swine Flu and Avian Flu at the same time (not very likely to happen), the resultant virus could be a very fatal and contagious virus, or a mild one. No one knows. That’s why everybody in health institutions is watching this flu pandemic very closely.
6. Ok, Mexico has announced that everything is under control. Is it sure to visit?
Mexico did a great job, working in exceptional discipline, shutting down a 20 million people metropolitan region. But the virus was already around the world, so it’s useless to worry about it more than you are worried about your own place.
Since the vaccine is not yet ready, almost every human on the planet is susceptible and has no immunity, therefore it’s important to be careful, avoiding close contact with ill people and whenever it’s possible, wash her or his hands.
7. Myths
- If you drink chamomile tea, you will be immune.
This is based in a legend from Spanish Influenza period. There were lots of people that never got sick; they were workers at a chamomile factory. Since then, chamomile surge as a defense against H1N1 flu – as far as we know it’s a myth. But a daily cup of tea will not hurt (unless you are allergic), right?.
- If you catch the flu, you’ll be dead immediatly, the governments around the world are hiding it’s real virulence.
False: This is a myth that contradicts with the next:
- It’s all a fake, conducted by IMF and Sanofi-Aventis
This version started in Mexico, and I think it has it’s origins in some regional government opponents, “caciques” or small sized candidates.
- Only mexicans catch the flu.
Only chinese government think this myth is true!; lol.
- You didn’t go to Mexico, so you have a common flu.
In fact, now it’s more probable to catch the AH1N1 virus outside Mexico than inside. There are more infected patients around the world, that got sick without going to Mexico. So if you are NOT in Mexico and have the flu, check it out right away.
