How can I prevent swine flu infection?

The CDC recommends taking these steps:

  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Or, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

Got flu symptoms? Stay home, and when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Afterward, throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

Should I cancel my travel plans?

Only if you're already sick. The World Health Organization and CDC currently don't recommend any travel bans or travel restrictions for healthy people. An earlier U.S. advisory against travel to Mexico has been lifted. But if you're sick, health officials want you to stay home. If you have flu-like symptoms, the CDC says you should stay home and avoid travel for seven days after you get sick or for at least 24 hours after you stop having symptoms,

What else should I be doing?

Keep informed of what's going on in your community. Your state and local health departments will have important information on how your area is handling swine flu and on the swine flu vaccine, when it becomes available. If you're a parent, you may also want to plan how you would handle your child's school being temporarily closed due to H1N1 swine flu.

Can a Mask Prevent Swine Flu?

Sure, if someone is coughing or sneezing in your face, a mask might help. Also, if you know that you're going to be around someone with swine flu, such as a loved one, a mask might be warranted. But otherwise, that's not the most effective strategy for preventing swine flu because you don't catch most respiratoryviruses from people coughing in your face.

Here's what generally happens. Someone with a virus sneezes or coughs in their hand. Then, they touch something like an elevator button or a doorknob. You come along a few minutes later and touch that same button or knob. Then, without thinking about it, you touch your face – your mouth, nose, or eyes – and the virus takes hold of you

Open the door to leave the restroom with the paper towel.

*I believe someone asked how long the virus can live outside the body. For instance, how long is a door knob toxic after someone with the flu sneezes into his/her hand and then touches the door knob?

Dr. Smith: Two hours or longer ... if the surface is wet, then the virus might live a bit longer.