With the outbreak of Swine Flu spreading into the United States, the question popping up is: does the weather have any part in spreading the flu? The answer is: yes and no. The main way the flu is transmitted is through contact with an infected person or contact with a pig that is infected. In people, the Swine Influenza is thought to spread mainly person to person through coughing or sneezing. It is not spread by food.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this type of Swine Flu is not well-known and it is unknown how long the actual virus can last outside the human body. Typically, flu viruses last anywhere from a few seconds to 48 hours outside the human body. At this time, human-to-human contact is the major way the virus is thought to spread. Given that the virus is believed to spread human to human, what role does the weather play?
1. The warmer weather means more people gathering for events and therefore more people coming in contact with an infected person. Persons with Swine Flu virus infection should be considered potentially contagious for up to seven days following illness onset.
2. A person sneezing and not covering their mouth theoretically may allow a dispersion of the virus within a few feet, in crowded, public locations. If you think you know someone who could be infected, have him or her stay out of public places.
3. The nice weather of spring means more vacations and more people traveling. We have noticed that some of the cases may be related to people traveling into Mexico during spring break. Check the CDC Web site for information on where you might be traveling for information on restrictions due to the Swine Flu.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity
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