The daily mail has published a detailed guide on swine flu including the symptoms, which patient groups are at particular risk, what to do if you think you have got it, how it’s treated and how you can prevent it.  The article acknowledges that a conventional mercury thermometer is perfectly adequate for adults but recommends the use of a digital thermometer (placed in the mouth or under the arm) or an ear thermometer in children.  You can see the full article here.

An Indian airport in Pune has recently started using ear thermometers to monitor for H1N1 flu on people arriving from international flights.  The ear thermometer represents a great device for monitoring the temperature of large numbers of travelers very quickly and hygienically.  With results displayed typically under two seconds travelers arriving from international destinations can be screened and quarantined as needed.  Hygiene is not a problem as some come with disposable plastic caps (lenses) which can be changed between patients.  Others can be cleaned very easily with a sterilizing spray or wipe.  So far 3 340 passengers have been monitored and no suspected cases of H1N1 have been found.

You can read the full article here.

We are all guilty of procrastination to a certain extent - why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?  However, if you haven’t bought a baby ear thermometer yet there is no better or more important time to invest in one.  With swine flu raging and the incidence increasing exponentially it is more important than ever to have access to an accurate a reliable way of monitoring your baby’s temperature.  Firstly, if you need medical assistance one of the first questions that you will be asked is whether your baby has a raised temperature.  It is also very important to follow the progress of the illness at to look out for significant increases in temperature which could put your baby at risk of long term complications (including fitting, coma, brain damage and even death).  The demand for ear thermometers has risen significantly over recent weeks.  Due to possible concerns about out of stocks we would strongly recommend that you consider purchasing one at the earliest opportunity to ensure that you can properly care for your baby should the worst happen.  We would also like to highlight that the baby ear thermometer is also suitable for use on older children, adults and the elderly and therefore represents and very important device for monitoring the progress of swine flu should it infect your family.