What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of infection?

The most effective tools for protecting yourself from Swine Flu are good hygiene and common sense.

This section provides advice based on the recommendations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Health Organisation, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the Health Service Executive.

Swine Flu is spread from human to human by what health professionals call "droplet transmission". This means that it is spread via respiratory secretions- droplets released when sneezing and coughing. Because the virus is spread through droplets of respiratory secretions, it is usually spread from infected person to non infected person via the air. However, it can also be easily transmitted via direct contact with a surface that infected droplets have landed on. This surface could be a hand, a countertop or anything in between. The virus can live for up to 24 hours on hard surfaces and for 20 minutes on soft surfaces. This is why it is so important to practice good respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette. The WHO, HSE and International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have all emphasised that effective hygiene practices will be far more useful than medication in mitigating the effects of pandemic influenza.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) recommmends taking the following precautions:

  • Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and have a fever or cough
  • Wash hands thoroughly and frequently, using hot water and soap or alcohol gel
  • Use a tissue when sneezing and coughing. Dispose of the tissue in a bin and wash hands thoroughly when finished
  • If you do not have a tissue- do not sneeze or cough in to your hands. This helps spread infection faster. Use your sleeve then wash clothes as soon as possible.
  • Clean surfaces regularly
  • As with any influenza virus, a healthy immune system will provide excellent protection against illness so try to make sure your diet is rich in vitamins and minerals to avoid getting "run down"

If you are caring for someone who is ill with with Swine Flu:

  • Keep the person at home, in a separate part of the house to uninfected people. if this is not possible, you should try to keep them at least 1.5 meters away from other people
  • Cover nose and mouth when caring for the ill person and wash hands thoroughly after each contact with the patient
  • Try to improve the air flow in the area where the ill person is staying. Use windows and doors to take advantage of breezes
  • Keep the area clean with readily available household cleaning products.
  • For more detailed information about caring for ill people, refer to our Helping You To Care Handbook