The long threatened ‘pandemic’ is now upon us.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) in the UK gives the following advice.

To cover up the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, throw away tissues promptly and carefully, and to wash hands and surfaces which are regularly touched.

That is pretty good advice. The use of tissues is essential. Depending on the build of the person sneezing, a sneeze can travel at 80 miles per hour. the droplets can spread about 25 feet from the source of origin. This covers the hair and clothing of those around us, and everything that it touches. The NHS have had a public information broadcast on the dangers of sneezing without a handkerchief. It is set in a lift, with the familiar phrase “going down”, the first person entering the lift sneezes in the lift, thereafter it shows further users of the lift being contaminated by the germs,  hence the phrase “going down” with colds etc.

It would be wise to collect used tissues into a plastic bag, and then binned. The importance of hand washing can’t be emphasized enough

But what else can be done?

If the Swine Flu becomes a serious threat in your area then self protection is vital. Tea Tree Oil has powerful antiviral properties. If you have to travel by air,  train or bus, anywhere there are lots of people jammed together, consider putting a little Tea Tree Oil onto a scarf or tissue and sniff frequently, especially if in the close proximity of someone not so careful about coughing and sneezing. You could make your own hand wipes by cramming a jar with cotton wool pads, adding a little water and four drops of Tea Tree Oil.  You can buy Tea Tree Oil in most health food shops and larger supermarkets.

In homes and offices surfaces should be washed down with TCP. This is an unpleasant smelling stuff that has been used for many years for stop the spread of infection. In the past offices employed companies to come in weekly to clean all the internal office telephones. It Is interesting that recently it has been found that the most contaminated item in the modern office is the keyboard of the computers. It doesn’t bear thinking about the toilet habits of those who used it before you, what they picked, what they scratched! You can pick up keyboard cleaners from your local stationery or computer shop or somewhere like Amazon.

Keeping yourself healthy in general is a good protection, a diet high in Vitamin C, and good organic food will help you. Cut out fizzing drinks and sweet things, as too much sugar will crash the immune system.

The taking of Echinacea in the form of A Vogel Institute Echinaforce will improve the efficiency of the immune system, it is an immunomodulator rather than an immune  stimulant. It has been proven as a herb that will do as it claims, and is a licensed product.   Professor Monica Simmons of Kew Botanical Gardens endorsed the use of Echinacea for this purpose. There is an A .Vogel Echinacea especially for children.

One thing that is sadly missing from the pharmacy shelves is Rose Hip Syrup. This wonderfully sticky orangey red syrup high in Vitamin C was give to most small children to protect against colds.  It was most effective, but alas fell out of favour and removed when there was a concern about possible tooth decay.

Final suggestion, a Bach Flower Remedy for the emotions. The biggest problem at the moment is fear, and that in its self is a problem. The remedy for fear is Mimulus.  The best known remedy is Rescue Remedy, the band aid for the emotions!  It contains five of the remedies:-

Rock Rose for terror
Cherry Plum for losing self control
Clematis for dreaminess, lack of concentration
Impatience for impatience and panic
Star of Bethlehem for shock

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