Swine ‘Flu – Bullet points, July 27th 2009:

• 100,000 now have swine flu in the UK – 1 in 500. UK numbers infected have doubled in a week (as anticipated with such a pandemic). 30 have died.
• USA – 1 in 300 have the disease
• Mexico there are 15,000 cases and have been 138 deaths
• Spain – 1,500 cases and 5 fatalities
• Pandemic predicted to peak around  09 September – just as kids and students back to school
• UK Government launched an Internet site at www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu.
• This site crashed 3 minutes after launch as 9 million users simultaneously tried to get on line. It was fixed a few hours later.
• There is a UK telephone hot line staffed by non-doctors – 0800 151 3100. If you have swine flu, you will be able to ask an uninfected friend or relative to pick up Tamiflu if you wish.
• Public told NOT to visit doctors’ waiting rooms
• Swine flu predicted to peak in September. Just as kids and students back to school. The race is on to have a vaccine by then.

Treatment of Swine Flu

What To Do If You Have Swine ‘Flu…..? Take Tamiflu? Take Echinacea? What to do?

Professor Art Ayers, a professor of biochemistry well versed in body inflammation and its relationship to diet and viruses, gives some important ideas on the treatment of swine flu – on Alternative Healthzine’s site.

He points out the dangers of too many people using Tamiflu, or any other neuraminidase inhibitor drug which is developed.

(In a word – resistance.)

The problem with Swine Flu and similar pandemics, such as SARS, is that they can trigger a cytokine storm. This reaction causes normally healthy people to succumb to a flu infection and die. About 15% of those dying were previously perfectly healthy.

I recommend you check out Professor Ayers‘ useful input on dealing with swine flu on this site.