Promote respiratory hygiene to prevent swine flu
Speakers at a seminar yesterday stressed the need to promote respiratory hygiene among the people in the country in order to prevent the spread of swine flu.
Although no cases of swine flu have been found in the country, increased international travel and high density of population pose potential risk of swine flu, they said.
As suspected human cases of swine flu are being reported in different countries every day, Bangladesh should remain prepared to prevent the spread of it, they added.
James P Grant School of Public Health of Brac University and ICDDR,B jointly organised the seminar titled 'Swine Flu: Global and Local Perspective' at the ICDDR,B auditorium in the city.
Referring to a survey conducted in 80 households in Mymensingh this year, Dr Stephen P Luby of ICDDR,B said that 81 percent of people sneeze openly while 11 percent cover their mouths with hands during sneezes and 7 percent use saris or scarves to cover their mouth.
Sneezing openly helps spread A (H1N1) virus, which causes swine flu, he said, adding that washing hands with soap, avoiding smoking, drinking plenty of fluid and stress management are important to protect one from the disease.
The speakers also said no vaccine against swine flu has yet been developed and it is still unknown how severe the effect of the virus could be.
However, the government has taken measures to prevent the entry of the virus into the country and to provide treatment, they said.
Arrangements for screening at ports have been made and drugs, masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been stockpiled. Hospital facility preparedness, laboratory facilities and patient management capabilities have also been increased along with massive awareness campaign on swine flu, they added.
The speakers also said that the 2nd National Avian and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan was approved by the government and a pandemic action plan would be developed very soon.
Pro Vice Chancellor of Brac University Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed of IEDCR, Dr Selina Khatun of World Health Organisation (WHO) and Dr Anwar Islam of James P Grant School of Public Health, also spoke.
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