The swine flu – also known as swine influenza or the H1N1 virus – caught the attention of people around the world. This deadly strain of the flu has people so worried because it appears to be resistant to many common precautionary measures, including flu vaccinations. And now, more than a decade later, while we are stuck in the Corona Virus (Covid-19), the swine flu is making a comeback.
The elderly and the very young are especially susceptible to serious complications from the swine flu, but even seemingly fit, healthy and youthful adults can be seriously compromised by this illness. Around the globe, hospitals and clinics have geared up to deal with potential outbreaks, and are taking measures to lessen the risk of the flu spreading more than it already has.
H1N1 influenza – commonly known as the swine flu – has been designated a global pandemic by both the CDC and the World Health Organization. Stopping its spread has become a chief goal of medical organizations; one recommendation is the use of HEPA filters.
Swine Flu Symptoms and Duration
The CDC states that swine flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, body aches, fatigue, chills, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Between 10 and 50% of cases may not include fever, which can make a diagnosis from symptoms difficult. The virus incubates between 1 and 4 days, 2 days on average.
People start being contagious the day before the flu’s onset and it may last from 5 to 7 days. Some people – especially children and those with compromised immune symptoms – may be contagious for longer than that. Generally, the higher the fever, the more contagious the person is. Thus, one ill person can infect other members of his or her household for more than a week, which makes managing the spread of the virus quite important.
How Swine Flu Spreads
The swine flu spreads from person-to-person, most often through airborne droplets expelled when the infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets travel only short distances before falling onto surfaces – generally between 3 and 6 feet. At greater than 5 microns in size, on average most droplets are comparatively large.
The biggest threat of exposure to the virus is through the direct inhalation of these droplets. This occurs when uninfected people maintain close quarters with infected individuals. The virus may also be transmitted by touching surfaces on which droplets have settled and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. Transmission by sub-micron droplets, also known as droplet nuclei, has not been ruled out. Sub-micron droplets may stay suspended in the air for longer periods and may also travel further.
One of the main things that clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities recommend in terms of keeping the swine flu from spreading is keeping patients as segregated from the general population as possible. Like all strains of influenza, the swine flu is passed mostly via person to person exchanges; i.e., one person sneezes, and the particles from that sneeze are inhaled by another individual. It makes sense, then, that doctors and scientists recommend quarantining sufferers from healthy, unaffected people. There are many ways to accomplish this goal, but it may not be quite enough to dispel the risk significantly enough.
Preventing the Spread of the Swine Flu
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised medical facilities to follow certain protocols when dealing with cases of swine flu. For instance, masks are recommended to help prevent the inhalation of flu droplets. Respirators are also near the top of the list for pulling airborne droplets of flu spreading bacteria from the air that patients may breathe. However, one of the most interesting recommendations made by the CDC in regards to containing the swine flu and mitigating its spread is the use of HEPA air purifiers. (See: H1N1 Infection Control for Patients In a Healthcare Setting)
Although the majority of the matter that is expelled during a cough or a sneeze is larger in size – in general, it measures over approximately five microns – and it will only travel a limited distance, there may also be much smaller, finer particulates ejected at the same time.
These sub-micron particles – also called droplet nuclei – can travel much farther and can hang around in the air for long periods of time. This means that simply segregating infected persons from others isn’t really enough; the air that they breathe and that health care professionals may come into contact with must be purified, as well – and that’s where HEPA air purifiers are of primary consideration.
The CDC recommends that hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities implement the use of portable HEPA air purifiers to further lessen the chances of the swine flu spreading and being passed on to others. Containing the illness is essential – but so is preventing it in the first place.
HEPA filters remove 99.97% of airborne pollutants from the air, improving indoor air quality dramatically. In addition to the other measures recommended by the CDC, HEPA air purifiers offer one more level of defense against this highly contagious and potentially deadly disease.
CDC Recommendations
In April 2009, the CDC issued its report, “Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting.” This document set out guidelines for healthcare professionals. Recommendations included the use of masks, separating those with respiratory symptoms, and droplet control measures. In the latter case, healthcare professionals were advised to use N-95 or above respirators.
The CDC advised that patients with suspected or confirmed cases should be housed in airborne infection isolation rooms – single-patient rooms that reduce the spread and escape of infectious agents. These rooms are at negative pressure relative to surrounding areas and have between 6 and 12 air changes an hour. Air flowing from isolation rooms is either ejected outside or filtered with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters before any recirculation. The CDC also recommends utilizing portable HEPA filtration devices to further reduce the concentration of infectious particles.
What This News Means for You
Considering that HEPA air purifiers are being put to work to help protect doctors, patients, and others from the spread of the swine flu, it stands to reason that they can help in household settings as well. HEPA air purifiers can provide your home and everyone in it with clean, pure, breathable air that promotes healthy immune systems and reduces the spread of all types of viruses and illnesses considerably.
IQAir Purifiers in Healthcare Settings
IQAir produces air purifiers that satisfy these CDC recommendations for healthcare settings, including the required filtration efficiency and the number of air changes. They also offer accessories that can create negative-pressure systems. Medical institutions around the world already use IQAir purifiers to control airborne infections. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority designated IQAir as the only provider of mobile air filtration systems for the rooms of SARS patients, protecting patients, their visitors, and staff. More than 150 healthcare centers in Hong Kong are outfitted with IQAir filtration systems, which are used to control the spread of infectious diseases like Corona Virus, SARS, MRSA, tuberculosis, and avian flu.
Personal HEPA Air Purifiers
Since the CDC recommends using portable HEPA filtration systems to control the spread of the swine flu in hospitals, such devices may also have uses in people’s homes. Individual HEPA air purifiers are available to the general public. Though studies have yet to determine the benefits of using HEPA filters to control the spread of the virus outside of healthcare settings, they may still be helpful for those who want to control household airborne contaminants. HEPA filters remove 99.97% of airborne particles .3 microns in diameter; some even trap particles smaller than .3 microns. Given the wide use of IQAir portable air filtration systems to reduce the spread of viruses, those concerned with the spread of the swine flu should consider a personal IQAir air purifier for their homes.
Protect Yourself and Your Family with HEPA Air Purifiers
If you would like to easily and efficiently enhance the health and well being of yourself and your loved ones, a high-quality HEPA air purifier by Air Filter Easy is one of the best investments you can make. In addition to helping eliminate airborne flu viruses like the swine flu, they can help provide allergy relief – along with a host of other great benefits.
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