Lately we hear about swine flu everywhere. It has become one of the most talked about topics in the United States. It is mentioned in schools, newspapers, magazines, news shows, TV shows, and radio. People all over the country are worried about being infected. Hand sanitation has become almost an obsession. People avoid others with mere colds as if they have the plague. Some college classes even include plans in case the campus shuts down due to the virus. But what is it really?

The swine flu is formally called the H1N1 virus. It was originally an influenza virus native to swine, therefore earning the name swine flu. In most ways, it is virtually the same as the flu virus we usually get in the winter. The disease is spread by physical contact with those with the illness or objects that germs have been left on. The symptoms include fever, coughing, aching, sore throat, chills, headache, and fatigue among others. When infected, you can spread the disease anywhere between one day before feeling the symptoms to a week later. Bed rest and the occasional antiviral drug are prescribed as treatments. All in all, it is pretty similar to the typical seasonal flu.

People are making a much bigger deal about H1N1 than it deserves. It is always good to avoid illness, but it shouldn’t take over your life. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of those who do get infected get mild cases. However, there are a few special circumstances that should concern people, but it is still nothing to freak out over. Young children and women who are pregnant, the elderly, or those with serious medical conditions are far more likely to get a severe case of the H1N1 virus. Often a severe case means only a hospital stay in which they give you antiviral drugs and you’re out the door in a few days. Nonetheless, a typical influenza virus can yield the same results.

My advice is simple: Take precautions, but don’t go crazy. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and don’t be overly touchy with sick people, but there is no need to isolate yourself and constantly apply hand sanitizers and disinfectants. Getting H1N1 isn’t fun, but it’s not the end of the world. You’ll be better in no time and forget you even had it.