1. Reduce travel to infected countries.

2. Wash hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

4. Keep surfaces on chairs, tables, wall and floors (including bed linens, kitchen utensils and counters) in all
rooms in your home spotless and sterile.

5. Toys should be disinfected regularly with a mild and effective detergent, which will not cause any skin
reactions or allergies.

6. Improve ventilation of frequently used rooms.

7. Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing using a tissue or other disposable materials. After
immediately disposing the materials, wash hands with water and soap or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

8. Masks should cover both mouth and nose and should leave no gaps between the mask and face. Do not re-use masks and wash your hands every time a mask is discarded.

9. Keep food clean and separate raw and cooked food. Food should be cooked thoroughly. Keep food at safe
temperatures. Use safe and clean water on raw ingredients.

Well very useful steps to follow and as it is raining heavily..defintely have to follow them..Another good news is vaccine in founded for swing flu... :)

Doctors are reporting a severe form of swine flu that goes straight to the lungs, causing severe illness in otherwise healthy young people and requiring expensive hospital treatment, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Some countries are reporting that as many as 15 percent of patients hospitalized with the new H1N1 pandemic virus need intensive care, further straining already overburdened healthcare systems, WHO said in an update on the pandemic.

"During the winter season in the southern hemisphere, several countries have viewed the need for intensive care as the greatest burden on health services," it said.

"Preparedness measures need to anticipate this increased demand on intensive care units, which could be overwhelmed by a sudden surge in the number of severe cases."

Earlier, WHO reported that H1N1 had reached epidemic levels in Japan, signaling an early start to what may be a long influenza season this year, and that it was also worsening in tropical regions.

"Perhaps most significantly, clinicians from around the world are reporting a very severe form of disease, also in young and otherwise healthy people, which is rarely seen during seasonal influenza infections," WHO said.

"In these patients, the virus directly infects the lung, causing severe respiratory failure. Saving these lives depends on highly specialized and demanding care in intensive care units, usually with long and costly stays."

Thanks for creating an awareness campaign here Sridevi.

Sajeethran, Thanks for highlighting important points to follow.

@Sridevi and Sajeetharan, thanks for creating the awareness and the ways to deal with swine flu!!!