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Editorial:
Take care of yourself and others; bathe regularly and get vaccinated
War, horror, pestilence and death. Well, Lady Gaga may be the first sign of the apocalypse, but swine flu is what will kill us all and definitely falls under the “pestilence” category.
Luckily, there’s a vaccine —for swine flu, that is. Unfortunately, there is not, as of yet, a vaccine for Lady Gaga.
The vaccine for swine flu will become available next week in the form of a nasal mist. A syringe-and-needle-based vaccine will be made available later.
The nasal mist contains a live but weakened virus that should be safe for persons aged 2 to 49, according to an article in The Oregonian.
But the swine flu didn’t wait. It is rampaging around the nation, notably earlier than seasonal flu.
Our advice: Be considerate, get vaccinated. Flu is a serious issue, one that can be fatal. Just because you get infected doesn’t mean others want what you have.
Be sure to wash your hands as much as possible and don’t sneeze or cough into your hands. Instead, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow. Take it easy and get plenty of rest, too. Bathing on a regular basis can also help.
The federal government has ordered 300 million doses of the swine flu vaccine. That means there’s a snoot or needle out there with your name on it. Keep in mind, however, that the swine flu vaccine only vaccinates against the H1N1 virus; be sure to get vaccinated against seasonal flu as well.
How do you know if you have a cold vs. the flu? Well, cold symptoms are usually less severe than flu symptoms and don’t last nearly as long. Flu symptoms, though similar to cold symptoms, are much more intense and as well as runny nose and cough, also include high fever, headache, fatigue, weakness and exhaustion.
Remember, good personal hygiene can go a long ways towards reducing your, and everyone else’s, chances of getting sick.
The Advocate reserves the right to not publish comments based on their appropriateness.