Swine flu, kids, and a "wash your hands" rap video

Here’s a well-written story by a mother (Brigid Schulte) whose son caught the flu at summer camp. She ended up nursing a houseful of sick patients, including herself. Everyone survived, but it was no picnic.
The subtitle of the article is “During the Swine Flu Season, Think Before You Share a Drink With Someone.” She had innocently offered her water glass to her thirsty son the day before he started showing symptoms.

This 2009 H1N1 A flu, which first appeared in Mexico in the spring, has now hit 177 countries. More than 550 people have died in the United States. And unlike in seasonal flu outbreaks, where 90 percent of the 36,000-some people who die every year are elderly, the ones dying or on respirators are children.
Health officials are thinking that people who were alive in the 1950s must have been exposed to a similar virus and developed antibodies that are helping them fight off this new flu virus. That might explain why my husband, Tom, never got sick. (His constant barking “Stay away from me!” probably helped.) But children and young adults have no antibodies. That’s why they’re so susceptible to getting sick. Also, flu studies over the last 50 years have found that women have higher rates of contracting the flu than men, even in the same household. … “The supposition is that women tend to be more the primary caregivers … Everyone wants Mom when they’re sick.” …
One afternoon, I tried to rush up the stairs with some hot mint tea to answer the phone. I was so weak, I tripped. The tea went sailing through the air. I slammed down hard on the wood floor, somehow landing on my back in a puddle of scalding liquid. The tea soaked through my hair and the back of my shirt. The phone had long stopped ringing.
And I just lay there. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The tea felt warm against my skin. And the thought of hauling myself upright was exhausting. …
I now am a reformed swine flu believer. There’s a reason why Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine had a photo op washing his hands at a school earlier this week in anticipation of the new school year and the germ factories that they are likely to become.

Ms. Schulte’s children had fevers of 100.7. What’s peculiar about swine flu, however, is that many patients do not have a fever, even though they become seriously ill. This complicates the problem of tracking the flu.
The test for swine flu (known P.C.R. or polymerase chain reaction) is normally done in research laboratories, though it’s also available in local and state health departments. Mexico was sending samples to Canada for diagnosis. It’s definitely not something that can be done while a patient is in the doctor’s office.
Since the doctor can’t be sure what he’s dealing with, the definition of swine flu has included the presence of a fever. This may lead to serious underestimation of how many people actually have swine flu. It also limits the usefulness of thermal scans to identify airline passengers who are sick.

A doctor sings “Wash those hands”

According to The New York Times, Mexican doctors found the swine flu virus on the hands of workers in hospitals, on bedside tables, and on other hard surfaces, such as computer keyboards and mice. It’s important for everyone to keep their hands clean
If you’re trying to motivate your kids to take precautions, perhaps these videos will help. Dr. John Clarke is the medical director of the Long Island Railroad. “Hand sanatiza I advise ya get it why, it makes germs die when you rub and let it dry.”

Here’s an a capella, freestyle version with different lyrics. Note that you can win $2500 from YouTube for the best flu video.

Thanks to KevinMD for the video links.

Sources:

(Links will open in a separate window or tab.)

Brigid Schulte, How, Gulp!, You Get Sick, The Washington Post, September 5, 2009
Lawrence K. Altman, M.D., Seeking Lessons in Swine Flu Fight, The New York Times, August 10, 2009