Although the United States has declared this a public health emergency, the truth is they have no idea of how bad this swine flu outbreak will get.  This was done as part of a standard operating procedure to allow for them to take the necessary preparatory steps.  Think of it like Its better to have and not need than need and not have.  The truth is they have no idea of what the size and seriousness of the outbreak will be.  Just as the CDC and Department of Homeland Security are taking the necessary precautions to ensure this outbreak is contained as best as possible, so should you.  If you are cruising to a Mexican port here are some basic preventative measures that you need to be aware of before leaving for your cruise.  Swine flu passes from person to person, take the same basic precautions you would to avoid any illness just be even more vigilant.

Keep up with any health information for the places in which you will be at risk.  This includes your own town, your airport, port of departure and any ports of call you will be visiting.

Always cover your mouth with a tissue when coughing.  If no tissue is available at that moment use the crook of your arm (where your bicep and forearm bends) this is the safest place on your body to cover up with as it generally never touches anything else (unless you put someone in a headlock).

Wash your hands as often as humanly possible, do not rely on antibacterial. While antibacterial  does work against many things it will not work against swine flu.  There is no substitution for using soap and water. Remember when you touch an elevator button or slot machine you are shaking hands with everyone who has touched them.

Avoid close contact with people and try to keep from touching touching your eyes, nose and mouth.  No matter how careful you are with washing your hands, you can never been too safe.

Always make sure you are up to date on your shots when traveling abroad, including any flu shots that are available.  The Department of Homeland security is releasing 25% of stockpiled antivirals Tamiflu and Relenza to the states, so inquire about these.

Make sure your health insurance has you covered even if you are abroad.  Sometimes people assume they are covered but then find out they aren’t once it is too late.  A short five minute phone call can save you tens of thousands of dollars if something bad were to happen.

If you have returned from an at risk area and are feeling sick, contact a medical professional immediately.

Those of you cruising to or planning to cruise to Mexico have probably been keeping your eyes glued to the television for every piece of information on the recent Swine flu outbreak.  Today I am going to attempt to tell you exactly what the Swine flu is and how it is spread.

What is the Swine Flu

The Swine flu is a respiratory illness caused by  a virus, usually in pigs. It is not abnormal that the swine flu virus causes outbreaks however, it doesn’t kill many of them.   The Swine flu virus doesn’t usually infect humans but there have been cases in the past where people have contracted the Swine flu.  Normally those who get infected with the Swine flu virus are those who have experienced direct contact with infected pigs such as farmers. What we are seeing now is a strain of the Swine flu that spreads relatively easily from person to person. This strain seems to be being spread in the same way as your normal run of the mill flu, infected people coughing and sneezing.

Swine Flu Symptoms

The Symptoms of the swine flu are similar to those of the regular seasonal flu, fever, coughing, lethargy, sore throat and lack of an appetite.  Other possible symptoms are diarrhea, runny nose and vomiting.  As you can see since these symptoms are indicative of a number of different illnesses, patient diagnoses simply isn’t possible. My advice would be, that if you (or someone close to you) have recently returned from a high risk area such as Mexico and are now experiencing flu-like symptoms, you should seek out a medical professional.

How Does Swine Flu Spread?

Typically flu virus spreads from pig to people and from people to pigs, however now it seems as if it is  being transferred from person to person.  As I stated earlier the swine flu spreads the same way as the regular flu, usually through coughing and sneezing of people who are infected with the influenza virus.  Please be aware that you can also be infected if you touch something with the virus on it and then tough your nose, mouth or eyes.

Who is Getting the Swine Flu?

Currently the world health organization is working with US, Mexican and Canadian health authorities to indentify the risks of this new swine flu.  According to the CDC none of the U.S. cases of the Swine flu came from people who have had contact with pigs.  The age range of those affected in the US range from 7 to 57 years of age while those in Mexico were typically in their 20s, 30’s and 40’s.  So far for whatever reason there have been few in any cases reported in older people.  While these age groups are atypical of an outbreak (which usually affects the very young or very old), due to the unpredictable nature of viruses this could change.

Next I will be taking a look at precautions you can take to lessen the risk of contracting the Swine flu if your next cruise is scheduled to make a stop in Mexico.

Unless you have had your head up your butt in the sand for the past week or so, I am sure you have heard about the new deadly strain of flu that has been spreading through Mexico.  So far, more than 1,000 cases of the swine flu have been detected in Mexico resulting in over 80 deaths.

With more than 20 cases now being reported in the southwestern United States the government has decided to declare a public health emergency.  Luckily, as of now all of the reported cases in the United States have been mild and so far only one of those cases has resulted in hospitalization.

At the moment, neither the CDC nor the U.S. Department of State or U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office have advised travelers to avoid Mexico.  The good news for cruisers is, so far there have been no reported cases of the swine flu in the resort areas of Mexico.  Since cruise ships typically only visit the resort areas of Mexico we have been insulated against exposure, although the area of exposure could change at any time.  While the cruise lines have not adjusted any itineraries to avoid Mexican ports they are monitoring the situation very closely.

This week I will be taking the time to write a few informative posts on what this swine flu is, who it has been infecting and precautions cruisers can take to minimize risk of contamination.