how to survive swine flu without really trying

It’s official; swine flu is an official pandemic (i.e. a new illness with a global spread) and two local residents have taken ill (read about it here).

As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes, this is hardly a cause for panic; deaths worldwide are lower than typical winter viral infections. Nevertheless, who wants to get sick just when we’re can finally expect some sun between the thunderstorms? The CDC’s top piece of advice is to wash hands regularly and use antibacterial sanitizers when out and about (we love these purse-size foams from Bath & Body Works). After all, marketing ourselves as Virginia’s Wine Country plus our historic attractions guarantees a steady stream of tourists for the rest of the summer and we’re just a hop, skip and a jump from D.C. Who knows what kinds of germs are passed around our little town?

But the CDC also strongly advises tuning in to the community plan of action (you know, just in case). All our great daily news services are sure to provide up-to-the-minute information, but it’s also worth bookmarking this page from the City of Charlottesville. It contains links to the CDC and the swine flu hotline and a handy map to Virginia’s confirmed cases. On the off chance that Charlottesville becomes some kind of Outbreak-esque ground zero, the city will post our plan of action here. In the meantime, it’s a great one stop shop for all your credible swine flu informational needs.

Click here to read about local testing and treatment (featuring an interview with Bethany’s mom!)