Q. All the news about Swine Flu has me really scared. My sister and I are in our 70s and live together. We don't have anyone else to rely on. What can we do to avoid catching it? 
A. I understand how you and your sister might be frightened. Turning on the news and hearing scary headlines about 'pandemics' doesn't help matters and can make the situation seem worse than it really is.
The HSE website confirms Ireland has, so far, had far fewer cases than many other countries and appears to have escaped the worst of the A(H1N1) virus, as the Swine Flu is officially known.
Influenza A(H1N1) spreads in the same way as ordinary colds and flu through the droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. If you are close to the person you might breathe them in and become infected.
If someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets containing the virus are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches, such as door handles and hand rails. If you touch these surfaces and touch your face, the virus can enter your system, and you can become infected.
The symptoms are like those of regular seasonal flu and include: a sudden onset fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache and muscle aches. Some people have vomiting and diarrhoea. While it is usually a mild disease, like other types of flu in a small number of cases some people may develop complications such as pneumonia.
If you get sick with a flu-like illness, and have visited an affected area in the seven days before becoming ill or have been in contact with a known case of influenza A(H1N1), contact your family doctor by telephone. They will decide if you need testing or treatment.
You should stay at home while ill unless needing further care. Your doctor will tell you the best treatment, which will usually involve plenty of fluids, rest and perhaps paracetamol to reduce fever. They will also advise other people in the house how to minimise their risk of infection. Most people recover from the flu without the need for hospitalisation or specialist medical care.
It is worth taking steps to reduce your chances of catching or spreading any virus, particularly if you or your sister have an underlying medical condition. To prevent the spread of infection you should:
•Always carry tissues
•Always cover your nose and mouth with clean tissues, when coughing or sneezing, wiping or blowing your nose.
•Always immediately dispose of used tissues into a bin.
•Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol based hand cleaners after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, before and after eating and if you've been out when you return to the house.
•Clean surfaces regularly to get rid of germs. The flu virus can live on a hard surface for up to 24 hours, and a soft surface for around 20 minutes.
•Avoid close contact with other people who appear unwell or have a cold or cough.
The Government has already finalised advance purchase agreements with two manufacturers for the procurement of 7.7 million doses of pandemic vaccine. Ask your doctor about getting the vaccine as soon as it is available.
Other things you can do to reduce the risk of illness include making sure you and your sister are as healthy as possible. That includes eating a good diet, taking regular exercise as well as reducing stress. Making sure you are up to date about the real facts of Influenza A(H1N1) and not being scared by news reports is a good start. For further information you can contact the HSE's 24 Hour Flu Information Line on Freephone 1800 94 11 00 (Health information courtesy of www.hse.ie)