The flu is goin' around--read

[CoolioTiffany]

Just want to give this topic a shout out 'cause tons of people I know are getting the flu and I think I'm even coming down with it so just wanna tell you guys to always wash your hands before and after everything you do (even after handling the reptiles, especially. You don't want Salmonella AND the flu LOL.. don't think that is possible though?) and stay clean.

There are so many sick kids at my school that I'm acting like a total germaphobe LOL so really always wash your hands and stay clean, I know non of you wanna be sick because it really sucks LOL.

[americangypsy]

If you don't feel well there are some awesome sites to check out earthclinic.com and http://www.planetherbs.com/index.php...=com_fireboard hope you fight it off .

[Lolo76]

Just getting over it... LOL. I started getting sick last Sunday, and was feeling like poop all last week. Still have a lingering cough & sniffly nose, but otherwise I'm on the mend. I don't take anything or get the flu shot, since it seems pointless to me - a few glasses of "Emergen-C" every day (while sick) does enough. It doesn't really get rid of the symptoms, but lessens the overall duration of most colds/flus. Hope you don't catch it, Tiffany!

[MarkS]

I had the 'normal' flu almost a month ago already. I don't know if that'll give me extra antibodies against the swine flu or not, but I can hope. Both of my boys go to the same high school and they installed those Hand Sanitizer dispensers outside every classroom at the beginning of the year. I thought that sounded like a good idea, I guess most of the kids use em too.

[americangypsy]

Already fought it off last week better now though I swear by apple cider vinegar , emergen c , and cold snap the acv is not so bad with apple cider tea and a cinnamon stick . Well at least we already got it out of the way .

[americangypsy]

I had the 'normal' flu almost a month ago already. I don't know if that'll give me extra antibodies against the swine flu or not, but I can hope. Both of my boys go to the same high school and they installed those Hand Sanitizer dispensers outside every classroom at the beginning of the year. I thought that sounded like a good idea, I guess most of the kids use em too.

Today I picked up my brothers kids after school and all I could think is man they smell like hand sanitizer . I wonder what affect this will have on all the germs that survive ? Will it be similar to the antibiotics overload?

[WingedWolfPsion]

Nope, normal flu and normal flu shots will not confer any immunity against H1N1. H1N1 is unique because it's a new strain that no one has immunity to. Thankfully, while it might kill off some otherwise healthy adults, it doesn't really kill MORE people than normal influenza does, so the chance that it will kill you is pretty remote. Treat it basically like any other influenza, if you catch it, but go to a doc if you get severe respiratory symptoms or it doesn't get better quickly enough.

I had heard they were supposed to have a flu shot out for it sometime this month.

[Lolo76]

Today I picked up my brothers kids after school and all I could think is man they smell like hand sanitizer . I wonder what affect this will have on all the germs that survive ? Will it be similar to the antibiotics overload?

I don't know, but I'm obsessive with my hand sanitizer... especially with the variety of animals I handle daily. I also got addicted to that stuff in my public library jobs, since you wouldn't believe the dirtiness I encountered every day - from both the books and the patrons. Doesn't seem to overload me, far as I can tell, since I get sick an average number of times (about 1-2 times a year).

[Oxylepy]

Hand sanitizer kills off a large quantity of bacteria, the ones that are left then have no competition for resources and your typical bacterial generation is 20 minutes or so. If you use the Hand Sanitizer you are making the resistant bacteria more likely to reproduce. Hence all you are doing is growing strong bacteria.

Welcome to how MRSA and other resistant diseases came about. They wouldn't be out like they are now if we didn't get so picky about how clean we make everything. We just keep giving them more and more room to reproduce in.

[Neal]

Easier said then done. I work at a jail. So if the flu is going around, i'm going to catch it.