The entire world is extremely concerned about the spreading of the new disease, known as the Swine Flu. It is very alarming although it is not dangerous or deadly; at this point, the swine flu has shown no signs of being more severe than the regular seasonal flu. The main difference is that the majority of the population hasn't been exposed to the H1N1 strain so few people have immunity to it. However it just needs immediate response of taking the Tami Flu straight away.

Here in Egypt the Ministry of Health has taken several measures to contain this pandemic, as the World Health Organization declared not long ago.

 In the midst of the ‘back to school’ season coming up, parents are apprehensive about their children. The weather still remains hot here and will continue up until November, so it is likely for the children to catch many diseases and germs as they play with the same toys, probably share a drink bottle or a glass of water, share lunch, crayons and pencils etc… Therefore the probability of children catching the Swine Flu is very high from their class mates since the germs will be in the air, and all over the place.

The question that lies beneath is: are we going to keep our children home? Of course it is impossible, what kind of precautions should we take as parents? Many physicians and pediatricians have advised that we should increase our personal Hygiene and the hygiene around us, one of the easiest things is to stop throwing garbage in the streets, and in this particular issue the government must exert more efforts in cleaning up the streets to reduce the germs.
1. Wash your hands and your children’s hands: Remember to wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners or hand sanitizers are also effective.
2. Carry tissue or a napkin: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands.
3. Stay home: If any family member is sick, stay at home for at least 24 hours. If you have a fever you should consult your doctor. This keeps the virus at home and prevents spreading to other children.
4. Vaccination: Make an appointment for vaccines for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu when vaccines are available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, in the United States, recently announced five groups, including children and young adults 6 months to 24 years old, which are most vulnerable to swine flu. The CDC is recommending that these people get the vaccine that's on track to be available in October. In addition physicians advise families to get the seasonal flu shot. In spite of the fact that you and your children might be healthy people, there's still a chance of you spreading the virus to infants, toddlers, grandmother and grandfather. It's not only about protecting yourself - it's also about helping to stop the spread of the virus.

Other important measures that I see essential is to know the school's policy concerning the Swine Flu, in addition to keeping continuous contact with the class mates to know if any case has been found.

I hope that the vaccine is available soon enough to prevent this global pandemic from further spreading throughout the world and thus affecting many people around us. Don't panic, but please be alert to all the signs and symptoms…