The signs and symptoms of swine flu are similar to the signs and symptoms of the standard human flu, and include the following: body aches, chills, cough, fatigue, fever, headache and sore throat.

If you notice that you are exhibiting any of the signs or symptoms listed above, you should seek the evaluation of your primary health care provider. After evaluating and testing your condition, if your health care provider determines that you do have the swine flu virus, they may be able to give you an antiviral medication. Antiviral medications such as oseltamivir or zanamivir can help to reduce the seriousness of your symptoms and fight against the virus. However, these antiviral medications are most effective when they are taken within the first two days of exhibiting the symptoms of swine flu, so it is important to visit your primary health care provider as soon as possible if you begin to exhibit one or more of the symptoms of the swine flu virus.

You cannot catch swine flu from eating pork or pork products. When pork or pork products are cooked to an internal temperature of one hundred and sixty degrees Fahrenheit, the swine flu virus is killed (as are all other bacteria and viruses). The ways that you can catch swine flu are: direct exposure to pigs that have the swine flu virus, exposure to someone who has the swine flu virus (this transmission usually takes places when the person who has the virus coughs or sneezes) or by touching an object that has the swine flu virus on it (and then exposing yourself to it by touching your mouth or nose).

The window of time that the swine flu virus can be spread from one person to the next is from one day before the symptoms of the virus begin to show up to seven (and in some cases, more) days after the symptoms have appeared. This means that there is the possibility that the virus can be spread from one person to another before the person spreading it even realizes that they are sick.

You can help to protect yourself (along with the well being of others) and lessen the chances of getting the swine flu virus by taking the following precautions:

If you have to cough or sneeze, make sure to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Once you have finished coughing or sneezing, properly dispose of the tissue by throwing it away into a trashcan. After coughing, sneezing or going to the bathroom, make sure to properly wash your hands with warm water and soap. Although it should not be used as a total substitute for warm water and soap, you can also keep an alcohol hand sanitizer (such as Purell or Germ-X) with you to use during times when you do not have access to warm water and soap. Even when your hands are clean, minimize the amount that you touch your eyes, mouth and nose (because this increases the possibility of spreading germs).