Unless there’s been an outbreak in your area, then a surgical mask and gloves are unnecessary. You don’t want to walk around town paranoid that everyone around you has swine influenza—if someone’s got swine flu, they won’t be out and about, you can be sure of that.
So what can you do on a day-to-day basis to protect yourself and your family from getting this nasty H1N1 virus?
1. Wash your hands. The best flu protection is cleanliness. Wash your hands before you eat, after picking your kids up from school or a birthday party (anywhere where there are lots of kids), after riding on public transportation, after going bowling, or any other time when you come in contact with other people directly or indirectly (as in the case with the bowling alley). Encourage your kids to wash their hands frequently throughout the day too, and pack some antibacterial wipes or gel in their lunches to remind them to wash up.
2. Avoid touching your face. You’re more likely to contract swine flu if the contact reaches your eyes, ears, nose, or mouth.
3. Boost your immune system. You’ll have a better chance to preventing swine flu and overcoming the virus if you do get it if you’re healthy. Eat nutritiously, exercise, and drink plenty of water.
4. If you are pregnant, have an infant or young child, or are an elderly person, you may want to take extra precautions in avoiding large crowds, contact with sick people, or hospitals, especially if there’s been an outbreak in your area.
5. Get treatment. If you experience any H1N1 symptoms, begin treatment immediately. Antiviral flu medicines like Tamiflu work best if they’re taken early. You may want to buy Tamiflu online now, just to have it in case of an emergency.