How to Prevent H1N1 - Best Advice so Far（如何预防H1N1 - 來自醫生的忠告）

How to Prevent H1N1 - Best Advice so Far
（如何预防H1N1 - 來自醫生的忠告）

Friends,

Thanks to media hype about H1N1, several people who trust me have either approached or called me to advice.. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 respirators as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can't be deplored enough.

Yesterday, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently (and others whom I haven't yet).

Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95.  Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.
N95口罩是用來阻隔95% 的0.3µ微粒,，而H1N1病毒的大小是0.1µ左右。所以，靠N95口罩防H1N1就像用蚊帳來擋雨。


Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks (its natural cycle). H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.
克流感不是用來殺死H1N1病毒 ，它只能抑制病毒在其1-2週的自然生存周期中繁衍H1N1跟其他Ａ型流感的病毒一樣，感染部位只限於上呼吸道，並在那繁殖它的唯一入侵途徑是口鼻喉，這種全球性的流感，幾乎無人能置身事外

Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
但接觸到H1N1病毒，並不像H1N1傳染的問題那麼嚴重．

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection,in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps - not fully highlighted in most official communications- can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
當你身體健康，尚未出現H1N1感染症狀時，你可以用以下幾種間單的方式來避免少量的H1N1病毒在你體內(如果有接觸到的話)繁殖、出現病症、及惡化成二期感染：


1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
　常洗手

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe).
  手絕不碰臉...除非是洗臉


3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt).
H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate
and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way,
gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
每天用溫鹽水(或李斯德林漱口水)漱口二次。H1N1在鼻喉腔內經過2-3天才開始增生並出現症候，簡單的鹽水漱口可以抑制病毒繁衍，等於是健康人的克流感，千萬不要小看這簡單的步驟。

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt
water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
同上，每天用溫鹽水清洗鼻孔至少一次，吸口氣用力將鼻內物質噴出，最後以棉花棒沾溫鹽水清潔鼻孔。這對降低鼻中的病毒量非常有效

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amlaand other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
充份的營養和維他命Ｃ以增加免疫力

6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
多喝溫開水或熱湯，功效和漱口一樣，只是方向相反。沖到胃裏的病毒是無法生存的

7. All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and
certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals.
這些都是在家裏就做得到的簡便預防法，遠比痛苦的在醫院候診好得多。

Happy breathing!

Best regards,
Dr.Ashutosh Mundkur

PS.  One will find similar advices from other doctors such as:
Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).