By now, you’re probably tired of hearing about the swine flu, the H1N1 influenza virus. Even though cases continue to crop up – including that of a middle-school assistant principal in Queens who died of the virus earlier this month – the initial alarm has faded and many are wondering if the crisis was overblown. 

On the other hand, some fear that this winter’s outbreak was just a prelude to a pandemic. Should we all start wearing masks again? Gita Krishnaswamy, biology teacher and a self-described "armchair epidemiologist" with a B.A. in cell and molecular biology, helps us bust up the legends and get to the facts.

Legendbuster: Is the swine flu more or less deadly than the normal flu?

Gita Krishnaswamy: As of now, it's difficult to say whether it's more or less lethal.  (Some) 40,000 people die of the "regular" flu per year, and that's in the U.S. alone.  Although it's clear that the symptoms of swine flu can be severe, there are only two confirmed U.S. deaths so far.  I would imagine that if swine flu persists, the mortality rate of both would be about the same. Vulnerable populations, the very young, old, and poor, seem to be just as likely to die from either flu, whether due to poor immune systems or lack of access to appropriate healthcare.

LB: What is the best treatment? 

GK: Lots of rest to support the immune system, plenty of fluids, and possibly electrolyte solutions, like Gatorade, to support immune system and provide some sugars.  High fevers can be reduced with anti-pyretics, such as Tylenol, and people with very high fevers may need to take cold showers or lie on bags of ice.  Seek medical treatment when things get out of hand, such as uncontrollable fever, confusion and uncontrollable vomiting; it's important to have sophisticated technology to monitor vital signs.

LB: How do we stop a pandemic?

GK: Hmmmm ... there are different ways of thinking about that.  People see the word epidemic and panic.  However, we are in the midst of plenty of pandemics — sexually transmitted diseases, for example.  Perhaps the question should be, do we need to stop epidemics?  In most cases, the answer is no: we can treat symptoms, and provided that people do have access to good healthcare, we don't need to spend so much time trying to eliminate non-lethal pathogens. 

LB: Are we out of the swine woods?

GK: Definitely not. Just as we are never out of the woods with other mild viral infections like colds and flus.  Seasonal variations of these things surge annually, and public health organizations are preparing for a larger number of cases next fall and winter.

LB: What’s the worst-case scenario?

GK: Given the information we have so far, it seems that the H1N1 will become common in the population, like the regular flu.