As World Health Organization Raises Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic Alert to Level Six, Hygiene Council Recommends Simple Steps to Help Protect Families fr...( PARSIPPANY N.J. June 15 /- The World ...),Health

PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Health Organization has increased the pandemic alert to level six for influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, the first time it has been raised to this level in 41 years. Families should take active steps to protect themselves, but need not be fearful. The outbreak is considered only moderate in severity and level six alert does not mean that influenza A (H1N1) is necessarily causing more serious infections, or deaths. It simply indicates that the virus is spreading in additional regions of the world, such as Australia, Japan, Chile and the United Kingdom. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention representatives, U.S. health authorities have been taking full pandemic preparedness measures over the past month to help protect families from influenza A (H1N1). The declaration is simply designed to help accelerate the production of a vaccine against this new virus and encourage countries around the world to put additional funding toward pandemic research.

"For families around the world, this alert is not a reason for increased concern, but rather increased common sense," said Professor John Oxford, chairman of the Hygiene Council, sponsored by LYSOL(R), the group of leading global experts in the fields of microbiology, virology, infectious diseases, immunology and public health. "The pandemic declaration is simply a reminder to families to follow proper hygiene routines to help protect themselves from illness." The Hygiene Council recommends these preventative measures to help families stay healthy during increased alert levels and year-round:

• Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell with flu-like symptoms - i.e., fever, fatigue and sore throat.
• Practice good hand hygiene - wash your hands frequently with soap and water ensuring all of the surfaces of the hands are cleaned. Once washed, dry your hands tho
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