What You Can Do

To protect yourself from flu and other illness use the following tips to stay healthy:

Stay Healthy
Health officials also recommend people continue to take the same precautions to protect themselves against a potential influenza pandemic as they would from colds and seasonal flu. Make respiratory etiquette a habit.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue away after you use it.
  
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or upper sleeve if you don’t have a tissue.
  
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth; germs often spread this way.
  
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze or use the restroom and before eating. If you are not near soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  
• Stay away as much as you can from people who are sick.
  
• If you get ill, stay home from work or school.

• Eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grain products.
  
• Drink plenty of water and go easy on salt, sugar, alcohol and saturated fat.
  
• Exercise on a regular basis. Thirty minutes or more of physical activity most days of the week can help boost your immunity.
  
• Get plenty of rest. Sleep is shown to help your body’s ability to fight off illness.
  
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco use. Smoking irritates damaged airways.

Consumption of pork

The H1N1 virus is not in U.S. Swine.  There have been no reports that the novel H1N1 virus strain currently causing illness in humans is in U.S. swine.

This is not a foodborne illness. The American food supply is safe, and pork and pork products are safe. As is the case with all meat and poultry, safe handling and cooking practices should be used to kill any germs or bacteria that could make you sick.
Eating properly cooked pork or pork products is not a danger to humans.Consumers should practice the following safe food handling and preparation every day:

• Wash hands before and after handling food.
• Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, fish and their juices away from other foods.
• Wash hands, cutting board, knife, and counter tops with hot, soapy water after cutting raw meats.
• Sanitize cutting boards by using a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water.
• Use a food thermometer to ensure food has reached proper temperatures.

Last Updated May 6, 2009

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