Swine flu: frequently asked questions

Last update to FAQ text: 1 April 2010

About swine flu
What is swine flu?
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
Can I catch it?
How long will I be infectious to others?
Who is most at risk?
I think I may have been exposed to the swine flu virus - what should I do?

Treatment
Can swine flu be treated?
When is antiviral medication given?
How will I get antiviral medication if I need it?

Vaccination
Is there a vaccine to protect against swine flu?
Do I need both swine flu and seasonal flu vaccinations this year?
Is the vaccine necessary?
Is the swine flu vaccine safe?
Is the swine flu vaccine effective?
Do I need the swine flu vaccine when I travel?

Health Protection advice
What can I do to protect against infection?
Role of the HPA

About swine flu

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory illness caused by a strain of influenza virus which has been named pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza by the WHO.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

The symptoms of this swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal flu and include:

• Fever
• Fatigue/unusual tiredness
• Headache
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath or cough
• Loss of appetite
• Aching muscles
• Vomiting or diarrhoea

Can I catch it?

The virus is contagious and can spread between people, although it is not known how easily. Transmission is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu:

• large droplets from coughing and/or sneezing by an infected person within a short distance (usually 1 metre or less) of someone 
• touching or shaking the hand of an infected person and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose without first washing your hands 
• touching surfaces or objects (eg door handles) that have become contaminated with the flu virus and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose without first washing your hands.

Swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food. There is no risk of catching the illness from handling and/or eating pork or pork products.

How long will I be infectious to others?

People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms. They can continue to spread the virus, for example in coughs and sneezes, for up to five days (seven days in children). People become less infectious as their symptoms subside, and once symptoms are gone, they are no longer considered infectious to others.

Who is most at risk?

Those at higher risk include those with long-term lung, kidney, neurological, liver or heart disease; children under five; people over 65; those with diabetes mellitus; the immunosuppressed (whether caused by disease or treatment); patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years; and pregnant women.

Although this disease is generally mild in most people so far, it is proving severe in a small minority of cases.

It is important that anyone belonging to a high-risk group calls their doctor as soon as possible if they suspect they might have flu.

I think I may have been exposed to the swine flu virus - what should I do?

If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned that you may have swine flu, you can check your symptoms using the NHS Direct symptom checker.

Pregnant women, parents of children under one and people with underlying health conditions are still advised to contact their doctors.

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Treatment

Can swine flu be treated?

The swine flu virus can be treated with antiviral medication called oseltamavir (Tamiflu®) and zanamivir (Relenza®), which reduce the development of the virus and lessen the symptoms. Antiviral medication does not cure the infection, but reduces how long symptoms last. It should be taken as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours of the infection starting.

When is antiviral medication given?

People who have been assessed by their GP and are thought to need antiviral medication will be offered either oseltamavir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®).

How will I get antiviral medication if I need it?

People with the kind of symptoms that may be caused by flu, and others at risk, may be assessed by their GP. If antiviral medication is thought to be necessary, they will be given an NHS prescription for it.

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Vaccination

Is there a vaccine to protect against swine flu?

Yes, there are two vaccines licensed for use in the UK. The vaccine is available to priority groups who are at higher risk of complications from swine flu. These include individuals with certain underlying health conditions, pregnant women and children aged over 6 months and under 5 years.

Do I need both swine flu and seasonal flu vaccinations this year?

People with certain long-term conditions have a seasonal vaccine every year to protect against seasonal influenza. The 2009 seasonal flu vaccine protects against the previously circulating H3N2 and H1N1 strains. The pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza is a strain that emerged in North America in April 2009 and spread around the world.

Since April 2009, the influenza virus circulating has been nearly all the pandemic strain but there have been a few cases of other types of flu. There is no protection against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza from the H1N1 component of the seasonal influenza vaccine so the swine flu vaccination is needed in addition to that for seasonal flu for you to be protected.

Is the vaccine necessary?

Most people with swine flu have a mild illness. But some people, especially those with long-term conditions, can become very unwell, require hospital treatment and intensive care and some may die. At least two-thirds of cases of swine flu could be prevented by vaccination.

Some children under five have become very poorly, and some have died so the swine flu vaccine is being offered to children between six months and five years of age.

There could be another wave of swine flu later in the year, and it may return later in the year as seasonal influenza. Children under five  do not routinely receive seasonal flu vaccine. This is a one-off opportunity to protect the under-fives by giving them some immunity from future infection with swine flu. 

Is the swine flu vaccine safe?

As well as the clinical trials of swine flu vaccine, a sophisticated European reporting system is monitoring adverse events after immunisation. More than 65 million people, including about 4.5 million in the UK, have been vaccinated against swine flu.  Monitoring continues to show no excess of serious adverse events.

Is the swine flu vaccine effective?

The clinical trials of the swine flu vaccine showed that vaccinated people produced a level of antibodies to the swine flu virus that would be expected to protect against infection.  Early findings from research show that vaccinated people are less likely to have influenza virus detected if they develop flu-like illness. This means their symptoms probably have another cause, such as infection with another virus that is not a swine flu virus.  The vaccine seems to be at least as effective as seasonal flu vaccine, which is around 70%.effective.

Do I need the swine flu vaccine when I travel?

As of March 2010, the Department of Health’s expert advisors on vaccines, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), have recommended that travellers to the southern hemisphere receive vaccination against pandemic swine flu before their trip.

Countries in the southern hemisphere, including destinations such as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, begin their ‘winter’ flu season in March and April, and swine flu (pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza) is still the most common flu virus circulating. If you have not already had the swine flu vaccine you could be at risk of infection when you travel.

Contact your GP or a travel clinic before you travel to the southern hemisphere. It is best if you receive your vaccine at least two weeks before you go, to allow immune protection to develop fully. You may need to pay for travel vaccines. 

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Health protection advice

What can I do to protect against infection?

General hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including swine flu.

This includes:

• Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible 
• Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully 
• Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people 
• Cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product
• Making sure your children follow this advice.

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What is the role of the HPA?

The Health Protection Agency's role is to provide scientific advice to Government and ensure healthcare professionals have access to the latest clinical advice from the HPA.

We also use our established surveillance systems to monitor the spread and incidence of the virus. Locally, the agency advises on how to control outbreaks of infectious disease including all types of influenza.

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Last reviewed: 29 March 2010