Over lunch a few days ago, someone joked as he made an order for pork chops, "I'm sure there are people in some parts of the world who are saying I told you not to eat those dirty things! See what these swines can do to us!" After the burst of laughter subsided, someone was heard saying  the H1N1 outbreak was overblown and that H1N1 infections should be dismissed as nothing more serious than the usual flu. It doesn't matter that the number of people now infected by the virus is nearly100,000 worldwide and this number is still snowballing  by the minute.

The argument's straightforward - since the common flu kills more people than H1N1 every year, why make a big fuss over the new found virus? Does the H1N1 virus kill easily? It's not as deadly as SARS and many people have recovered from the disease. Sure, there are hundreds of people who have died from the virus attack and sure, there will be more people who will succumb in the next few days - or even as you read this blog!

So, why fret over this H1N1? The advice is go on and continue living like you normally would - shop, watch movies, attend concerts and conferences, participate in sporting events, go out and party!

Never mind the reports that highlighted that some hot clubbing spots have been infected with the disease - who doesn't get a flu anyway?

While some say that H1N1 has hit the world at the worst time - in view of the current economic crises, it nonetheless has spurred a boom in the pharma and healthcare industries. Thermometers, masks, vitamin C, sterilizers, etc fly off the shelves and global drug companies are straining to produce millions of doses of anti-viral drugs and vaccines

One wonders - as another little bird whispered - if this H1N1 fever is after all a global conspiracy to drum up demand for drugs worldwide. So, there will be enough drugs to take care of the outbreak. No worries lah!

But is the H1N1 pandemic nothing more than another outbreak of the flu?

If that's the case, why is WHO so concerned? Why is the alarm on the pandemic raised? And why is there a need for a daily count of the attacks? And why are governments rushing to stock up on medications to beat the virus?

Vaccines are in huge demand and drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza need to be rationed to ensure that there will be sufficient doses for mass treatment if the need arises. But the unfortunate thing is - some of the H1NI victims appear to be resistant to these drugs.

Is everything therefore OK? In the eyes of many, it may not be so - even though their concerns may not be voiced publicly

While it is reported that H1N1 victims recover, how many reports actually say how painful the disease is? And is it business as usual for business operators?

So far, are there figures on how H1N1 has affected businesses? What are the costs?

Not only do victims have to bear with the physical pain of the disease, they also have to condone the social stigma that comes with it. Of course, they have to pay for the treatment. And the costs - especially hospitalization - can be intimidating.

For businesses, they will have to bear with downtime, work disruption and lost productivity as staff need to be quarantined or even hospitalised for days if exposed to the virus. Will insurance costs go up for businesses if insurance companies need to cover such pandemics that come every now and then?

Since there are so many cases of the local spread of the virus, it may be useful for companies to issue their own advisories - not just on countries that are affected by H1N1 but also highlighting places within their own country that have been infested with the virus and outlining high-risk activities that may expose staff to H1N1 infection.

While there is no fool-proof  method to beat the infections, we can take some steps of precaution:

 
1.         Take more alkaline foods such as lemon and spinach. Avoid acidic foods (especially sweet food and drinks and yes - avoid meat) - which may lower body resistance to disease.

2.         While it is good to take larger does of Vitamin C, it is useful to consume more fresh fruit and vegetables to beat the viral attacks.

3.         Clean your hands with sterilizers if you sneeze/cough - even if you use tissue paper to cover your mouth. You may also want to sterilize the utensils that you use in food centres or eating places before starting your meal. Good to use disposals if you can.

4.         Stop running noses immediately - by taking anti-flu drugs to reduce the viral spread.

5.          Avoid air-conditioned and crowded places as much as possible - to minimize infection. Please air your homes daily and the office at lunch breaks if the windows are closed most of the time during office hours.

6.         Wear masks if necessary - it's OK even if people look at you in a strange way.

Above all, please do not be fooled into thinking that H1N1 is a just another normal flu outbreak.  Things don't need to come to a standstill. But keep close watch over your personal hygiene and do not engage in high-risk activities - even though they cajole you to think that everything is OK and it's business as usual.