Swine Flu Advice:
Be Calm, Clean & Careful

As this was written, cases of swine flu had surfaced throughout the world, while concerns about a possible pandemic were proliferating at an exponentially faster pace.

John Auerbach, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, while not minimizing the potential seriousness of the situation, took steps to reassure the public that steps were being taken by the commonwealth to “insure that we minimize illness and harm to the public.” (At the same time noting that at that point there had been no reported cases in Massachusetts.)

In a message to the public, he wrote:
There are steps that everyone can take to help prevent getting or spreading any type of influenza:
1. Become aware of the facts. We encourage everyone to visit the CDC's new web site at www.cdc.gov/swineflu. We also have some very good information on how to care for someone at home who has the flu on our DPH web site. And DPH has its own regularly updated blog at www.mass.gov/blog/publichealth.

2. Practice good health hygiene. Disease transmission can be significantly reduced by taking the following actions:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Practice good "cough etiquette" by coughing or sneezing into a tissue, or into your elbow instead of into your hands.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to avoid infecting them.

As with every public health investigation, the situation will likely change many times…Please check our web site, www.mass.gov/dph, for updates.