I blogged about A (H1N1) more than a week ago (see
here). A few hours ago, I just got off the phone with a friend who has tested positive and currently on quarantine. She contracted it while attending the birthday party of her boyfriend's kid brother who's a gradeschooler in Ateneo.
After the party, she felt she was coming down with a flu. She was alarmed considering the current A(H1N1) pandemic and so she went to the hospital to have herself checked. At the time she went, however, since the carrier (kid) has not yet been brought to the hospital, there's still no "carrier" to point to when the doctor asked my friend to whom she has been exposed to; hence, no swab test was conducted. She was just diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). A few days after, however, the kid (carrier) was brought to the hospital and tested positive for A (H1N1). She then went again to the hospital (Makati Med) and took a swab test (the test costs P5,000.00 at Makati Med; probably on a cheaper rate at Lung Center), the result of which came back after 3 1/2 days. During the 3-1/2-day interim, she was placed under medication (antibiotics). After that period, it was confirmed, she's positive of A (H1N1).
As she recounted, the symptoms included cough, colds, throat inflammation, muscle/joint pains and fever. She was prescribed with Tamiflu, to be taken for five (5) days, twice per day. The meds cost P200 each. She also told me that there's no Tamiflu available in Mercury drugstore outlets as DOH already got hold of these medicines to give to the public for free (maximum of 5 Tamiflu capsules per person and to be given only IF you have tested positive). Since you will be prescribed to take 10 capsules of Tamiflu, you must find the other 5 on your own (lucky you if you know someone working at the hospital/pharmacy who can buy them for you).
For prevention), she told me that the doctor recommended the following:
- taking Vit C, Vit A and Zinc-fortified vitamins
- drinking sprite (yes, the soda; no conclusive studies)
- drinking lots of water
- wearing a respirator mask when you go out
- disinfecting when you get home
- (as much as possible) avoiding crowded places in the meantime
- disinfecting using isopropyl alcohol
- bringing your own toiletries when you head out of the house
Like what I said in my previous entry on A (H1N1), if you think it can't happen to you, pray that you're right. But I suggest that you try to be safe especially since there are rumors on a new Brazilian H1N1 strain. These rumors were denied by the WHO and our very own DOH, but still, whether or not there's a new strain, A (H1N1) is as real as it can get (344 cases and counting). Protect yourself and that of your family by being aware. It doesn't cost a cent.
You may want to read on the DOH advisory
here [includes the designated DOH hospitals for A (H1N1) cases].
One last thing, if you have friends and relatives who are working in an Airline company, it's best to ask them which is the WORST airline to fly with on your travels
vis-a-vis the current pandemic.
Please do your homework.
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