Dr Deepak Purohit wrote to President about Swine Flu

> My dear President,
>
> I agree with you that swine flu awareness is needed, but there is no
> need to be panicky and join the publicity propaganda carried out by
> media and others which acts as a vehicle to spread misconception than
> to spread scientific information.
>
> These are few facts about swine flu when discussed with the leading
> epidemiologists.
>
> 1) Swine flu, that is H1N1 flu is not new, first detected in 1987
> 2) Infective stage of flue is 5 days, 1 day before and 4 days after
> onset of symptoms
> 3) The best way to prevent it spreading is asking patient having
> symptoms of flu like fever cough and running nose to take rest at home
> for 4 days so he does not transmit it
> 4) Masks are of limited value if any, in this disease, it can spread
> through droplets on your skin, through contact etc, and I have seen
> that the masks in Pune are worn as fashion statement, while walking on
> road today morning I saw people wearing masks coming out for a morning
> walk with their dogs!, many wearing masks around their necks, and so
> on, infact these masks shall act as the vehicles to carry the virus,
> instead, avoiding crowded places or cinema halls or malls where
> airconditioners are on, is advisable, because you get recirculated
> air, where the virus density multiplies
> 5)Death after H1N1 flu is not common, infact infections like measles
> is taking toll of thousands more every year, and we are oblivious of
> the facts. Swine flu is being blown out of proportion by media trying
> to create hysteria among lay people.
> 6) Fever accompanied by respiratory distress, should be immediately
> notified which is likely to be a complication of H1N1 flu
> 7)The mortality is less than .01 percent of those affected, that means
> may be one in 10,000 affected is likely to suffer the life loss.
> 8) If you remember, 2 years ago SARS was blown out of proportion, what
> happened? Humans develop immunity to the virus, the same is going to
> happen, we develop immunity in due course of time, the virus is in the
> air, you can not stop it, our body is already developing the immunity
> so nothing to panic.
> We need to take care of children and elderly who have less immunity
> and do not let them go to crowded places that is all .
>
> WE MUST START THIS CAMPAIGN OF NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THIS FLU AND LET
> YOUR DAILY WORK CONTINUE AS NORMAL, NO MASKS FOR ORDINARY CITIZENS,
> HEALTH CARE WORKERS OR SPECIFIC EXPOSED TO LOT OF CROWDED ENVIRONMENTS
> MAY BE BENEFITTED, NOT PROVEN.
>
> I am amazed to hear that people are selling masks of RS 20 each which
> are available to less than Rupee 1 in the market.
> See who is getting benefitted?
>
> Please spread the scientific info, do not join the band wagon and
> stick to science, that should be the order of the day.
>
> Deepak Purohit
> District governor
> 3131
> Rtn Dr Deepak Purohit
>
>
> ARajagopalan
>