(advertisement)
The World Health Organisation have announced that the threat of a global swine flu pandemic is over. Whereas in 2009 swine flu was spreading rapidly throughout the summer as well as the colder months, 2010 saw a rapid reduction in cases. For this reason it is declared that the pandemic threat is over.
However, there is still a risk of developing swine flu, and if caught it is no less dangerous as a result of it no longer being at pandemic status.
Swine Flu in a Post Pandemic Phase
The WHO have downgraded swine flu from pandemic alert phase 6 to the post-pandemic phase. This change actually took place on the 10th August 2010, and went mostly unreported at the time.
However, due to some recent campaigns to highlight the risks, the downgrade is now being talked about a little more. Swine Flu is still a threat. Also pregnant women and children are still at greatest risk if they develop it. Most deaths caused by swine flu are still affected people under the age of 60 – the reverse of normal seasonal flu which only usually seriously affects the older population.
(advertisement)
Swine Flu Risk Factors
Recent medical research has shown that there are several risk factors which increase the likelihood of developing severe symptoms. These include obesity, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy.
Prior to the vaccinations that many countries carried out many people were very susceptible to swine flu due to poor immunity to the virus. Vaccination has changed this and now it is thought that a majority of people are now more resistant to developing and spreading swine flu.
Hopefully the worse of the swine flu is over. But, anyone in a high risk group, pregnant or young, should still seek vaccination. Contact your local GP for more information.
(advertisement)