Mayor, HO's Interaction with Everwin students on Flu H1N1
An awareness campaign on Flu H1N1 was conducted at Everwin Matric Hr Sec School, Kolathur recently. Chennai Mayor M. Subramanian and Chief Health Officer P. Kuhanantham participated and interacted with students. The students also staged a drama on the disease. About 100 students of the school also distributed leaflets on the disease at various points in Kolathur.
Three students narrated the ordeal they underwent when they had simple fever and cough or when others had it. “Many in the family looked to sideline me. Even in schools they were ‘untouchable’’ said Lokesh a class IX student. “In my home, even guests were received with reluctance” said Vijayalakshmi, a class XI student. “When I visited a relative at GH, I saw people feared one another” said Divya a class XII student.
Health Officer Kuhanantham answers a volley of questions on Flu H1 N1 in Mayor’s presence

1. When Swine Flu attacks a pregnant woman, will it affect the child in her womb?
Persons with chronic breathing ailments since childhood, lung problems, people who have undergone kidney transplantation, cancer patients and pregnant women are more prone to this disease. Two incidents of pregnant woman had been reported so far. But they recovered well and children born were also healthy. So there is not much to panic.

2. Does Swine Flu attack a person twice?
Yes, it can. Flu H1 N1 virus is a very different type of virus because it shows up as different virus in human and swine. This novel A H1N1 virus changes its behaviour very often. The virus gets lodged in the nasal cavity and throat of the infected persons. So we need to kill the enemy at the point of entry.

3. When will the Swine Flue trauma come to a halt here?
Very soon. (The mayor interrupted and said “The moment the fear in your mind dies, the flu will come to an end.)

4. Which is safer, mask or handkerchief?
Handkerchief is far better. Mask is a sterile equipment. But it should be handled properly. It should not be touched on the multilayer, but the strings attached to it should be used while wearing. But hand kerchief and tissue papers are better as disposal is easy. Used masks should be put in the covers meant for them and disposed in bins or flushed in a toilet. While using hand kerchiefs, one should not use the same over and over again. This virus spreads fast in closed and crowded places and hence wearing masks or using kerchief is important in such places.

5. Will taking to vegetarian ways help us combat such diseases in future?
No, not necessarily true. Man had been a non-vegetarian since time immemorial. Non- vegetarian food boosts up the immune system, say researchers. Fat people who live sedentary lives, and those who hardly exercise can avoid non-vegetarian food as age progresses. Even pork can also be consumed. But whatever be the meat, it should be cooked above 100 0 C, to kill the germs.

6. Who is a carrier of Swine Flu?
It all started from the swine. People who travelled from Mexico and Canada brought it here. The virus is active for 7 to 10 days. It does not affect us directly. It attacks the immune system of people with low disease resistance power. While HIV is active for long period, this is a short time virus. Even we may have the virus on us, but may not show any symptoms just because we have a high resistance against diseases. Such people are carriers of the disease. If we gargle with lukewarm salt water, twice a day, in morning and at night we can do away with the disease. The WHO has only two sign boards for precautionary measures to be adopted: hand washing and wearing masks.

7. Should everyone wear a mask to prevent the spread of Swine Flu?
Not everybody should wear it. People affected, doctor and nurses attending to patients, lab technicians should wear the masks. “Swine Flu” is not the real term. So it should be called ‘Flu A H1 N1’. It spreads in air. It affects the people who fall in the radius of 3 meters. When a person who is very close to us sneezes or coughs, the virus may, attack us. But in an open ground the virus may spread in air and does not affect persons.

8. I come to know that the testing kit costs a lot. Does Corporation of Chennai organize free screening for swine flue.? Do all Corporation hospitals have this facility?
Chennai Corporation has all facilities to combat flu. Medicines are available with Chennai Corporation. Tamil Nadu ranks the first in Disease prevention and Health case in India. Our Chief Minister. Kalaignar Karunanidhi often calls for meeting with officials of Health Department to review the situation in the state.

9. Is there a ban on rearing cattle in Chennai?
At present the Government has banned rearing of pigs in the state. As a result of this A H1 N1, flu, we have called 2,000 pigs so far. But cattle rearing can be done in such a ways that it does not pollute the environment.

10. Suggest to us how we can protect ourselves against the disease?
* In order to clean the throat, gargle with lukewarm salt water.
* Cut nails and clean them often.
* Even middle class families have ACs now. The filter contains nearly 15 million virus and hence should be cleaned once a month. Finally he concluded saying “don’t visit the King’s Institute for a simple cough and sneeze. and don’t panic”. Gargling with salt water and cleaning the nose helps fight the virus.

Technically, there has been no death of Swine Flu: Mayor

Excerpts from the speech delivered by Mayor Subramanian at the Swine Flu awareness campaign at Everwin Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kolathur, Chennai last year.

(a) 93,000 students of Govt. and Corporation Schools in Chennai have so far been screened for Swine flu of which none was reported to be affected by the disease.

(b) 2,50,000 students of private and Govt. aided schools in the City have so far been screened but no one showed the symptoms of the disease.

(c) No excursion should be arranged by schools for atleast some months as the chances of contracting the infections are more.

(d) 96 people from Chennai and 75 from suburban Chennai who are reported to have the disease were admitted to the Communicable Diseases Hospital, Tondiarpet. Now all have convalesced and discharged from the hospital.

(e) The 3 deaths which were reported in Chennai were not because of Swine flu alone but they had other heath problems and one of them evaded the treatment.

(f) People with a poor resistance power, those who have breathing problem right from childhood and those who have undergone surgeries and kidney transplantation are the ones primarily affected by the disease.

(g) Rs. 13 crores has been earmarked to revamp the Communicable diseases hospital at Tondiarpet.

(h) Swine flu medicines worth Rs. 25 lakhs are available with the Govt. Hospitals now.

(i) Chief Minister Karunanidhi holds talks with the health officials everyday in the morning and evening to study the situation in the State arising out of swine flu.
He also asked the students not to panic. Wearing masks can be for demonstration purpose and it should not be made mandatory in schools.

He said some 80 buildings comprising schools, parks, health care centres etc. are going to come up in Chennai on 27th of this month at 5.00 p.m. They will be inaugurated by the Deputy C.M. M.K.Stalin.

The Mayor also traced the history of Swine Flu. He said that it all began in Mexico where people brought up pigs as pets in home and they were very friendly with them kissing and hugging the animal. The virus has since spread everywhere in the world.

He was all praise for Dr.Guhanathan, Chief Health Official, who had attended many International Conferences on Public Health. Because of his dedication, he had been asked by the Chennai Corporation to render his services for the people of Chennai.

He also said Everwin school has begun the awareness campaign and other schools should follow suit.