The Myths Surrounding the H1N1 Swine Flu

The recent outbreak in 2009 of the H1N1 swine flu has raised many questions not only among medical experts and researchers, but the general public as well. Many individuals had never even heard of the swine flu until this latest outbreak and, therefore, were not educated in the characteristics of this illness.

This lack of understanding and knowledge has lead to many rumors and false beliefs regarding such issues as to the potential ways in which this virus can be spread, the seriousness of it compared to the regular seasonal flu, and how it is treated. In this medical guide on the 2009 H1N1 virus, you will learn about some of the myths that surround this latest outbreak of the swine flu. 

The Myths Regarding the Swine Flu, and Pork 

Probably one of the biggest myths regarding the swine flu is that it is possible to contract this virus through the handling or consumption of pork or products that contain pork, however, researchers, scientists, and medical experts, have all concluded that there is no evidence that the H1N1 swine flu virus can be contracted in this manner.

This myth most likely stems from the fact that it is possible to become infected with the swine flu virus if an individual comes directly into contact with a pig that is infected with the swine flu virus. 

The Swine Flu is more dangerous or Causes more Fatalities than other types of Flu 

This false belief is probably due to the fact that the swine flu has received more publicity than other types of the flu primarily because the "WHO" or "World Health Organization" declared the swine flu a "pandemic" shortly after the outbreak in 2009.

The main reason for this declaration is the concern among health officials of the rapid spread of the virus from person to person; however, this fact does not mean that the swine flu is more deadly than other types of flu just that it has the potential to affect more individuals. In fact the majority of individuals who develop the swine flu do not even need medical attention and can overcome their illness within seven days. 

Receiving the H1N1 Vaccine Guarantees you will not Contract the Virus 

While, the H1N1 vaccine is eighty percent effective in preventing the H1N1 swine flu, there are no guarantees that if an individual gets the vaccine that he or she will not contract this illness when coming into contact with the virus.

Another common myth is that the vaccine itself can cause the an individual to become infected with H1N1, however, according to the "CDC" or "Center for Disease Control", the vaccine does not contain the "live virus" and ,therefore, cannot give an individual the H1N1 virus. The live virus that is contained in nasal spray is weakened to such an extent that they cannot propagate or grow enough to cause the infection in the normal body temperature.