Apr 29, 2009 5:58 pm US/Central
How To Protect Yourself Against The Swine Flu
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
There's been a rush at pharmacies in the Chicago area. People are trying to protect themselves from the swine flu. CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker spent the day talking to pharmacists and doctors about what works, and what doesn't.
For the second time this week, they're replenishing supplies of hand sanitizers at Parkway Drugs in Lincoln Park. The drugstore usually sells only a couple of bottles a week. But so far this week, they've sold 50 as customers try and protect themselves from the
swine flu.
"I got some for my daughter's backpack, showed her how to use it properly," said customer Valerie Boldovich. "We walked through all the instructions they've had all over the news. It's very frightening."
Hand sanitizers are not the only things customers are stocking up on. Latex gloves are flying off the shelves along with Vitamin C and other herbal tablets.
"It will help boost their immune system a little bit," said Pharmacist Aaron Pietrykowski. "We do know that it is treatable so the healthier the person is the more likely they'll recover if they were to contract it."
There's also a run on face masks, normally the store sells only one a month. But in the last two days, they've sold 100. But is it really necessary?
"It looks nice but that's about as far as it goes," said Dr. Kenneth Alexander of University of Chicago Medical Center.
Dr. Alexander thinks the public is overreacting a bit with face masks. He says those coming to the hospital emergency rooms are justified because that is where you might encounter someone with the swine flu.
"But out in the community, there's no evidence these masks work well," Dr. Alexander said.
The masks don't prevent us spreading a virus by touching our nose or rubbing our eyes. Secondly, Dr. Alexander says we are seldom that close to each other. And finally, masks are made out of paper that's not very strong.
"The masks only work for a brief period of time, they get wet and then they stop working very well," Dr. Alexander said.
More and more people seem to be concerned about the swine flu.
Dr. Alexander says the number of people checking into the emergency room has tripled this week and most are complaining of flu-like symptoms. He wants to remind everyone that you should only come to the emergency room if your flu symptoms are combined with trouble breathing, vomiting and diarrhea.
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