Health Expert Says Prevention is Best Precaution

Marvin Manzanero

According to Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero, while Tamiflu may decrease signs and symptoms of H-one-N-one, it is not necessarily the best option to fight the illness.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

“Also it is very important for people to understand that Tamiflu is not treatment necessarily for H1N1 which is where we get caught up and over excited at times. The best thing is prevention. Current evidence suggests that Tamiflu may decrease your signs and symptoms by perhaps one day. So you have to weigh that in terms that anybody who gets H1N1 will necessarily need Tamiflu. Tamiflu as we have sent out to our health workers is going to be given to special population. Those who have higher risk of having a complication, older patients, younger patients, patients who are immunosuppressive, diabetes, HIV patients, and patients on chronic cancer care. Those are more at risk. We have identified potential kits. We have talked to PAHO. We have started procuring more kits that is what it entails. I think the most important and prevailing message should be prevention. Wash your hands, avoid touching your face, and avoid close contact with those who may be having the flu. That is where we are going.”