According to world health experts, your chances of getting the swine flu are close to 50%. Recognizing the symptons early can help you avoid serious health problems

So you are a product developer or internet marketer working from your home office, and you may be wondering why an article about swine flu should concern you.

Two reasons:

First, according to the world health organization, half the people on the planet could become infected with swine flu in the coming 18 months. And with those odds, chances are very good you'll get the swine flu.

And second, chances are also very good that a large percentage of your customers, your business associates, your family and friends will also get the swine flu.

And when either (or both) of the above occur, your business and personal activities are going to be disrupted. And planning for this kind of disruption should be part of business and personal survival and success strategies.

Don't Panic

Even if the WHO swine flu infection rates of 50% are reached, it won't be a reason for you to panic. That's because in the current variation of the swine flu, the death rate is less than 1 in 100,000.

So even though your chances of getting the swine flu are very high, your chances of dying from it are low - at least for the time being.

Still, even if you don't die from the swine flu, you'll likely feel ill for a week or two or three, and that will have an impact on your business and personal life.

And that impact will be magnified if you are tending to family members who have also become ill.

Typical Symptoms

The two most frequent symptoms of swine flu are:

• sudden fever (a body temperature of 38C/100.4F or above)
• sudden cough

Other symptoms may include:

• headache
• tiredness
• chills
• aching muscles
• limb or joint pain
• diarrhoea or stomach upset
• sore throat
• runny nose
• sneezing
• loss of appetite

As you look at the above list, how many of those symptoms do you have now? If more than a few, you might already have contracted swine flu.

Most people who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even without being given antiviral medication.

However, experts point out that as this is a new virus, its behaviour cannot be predicted with certainty. In fact, in recent weeks the standard H1N1 swine flu has been mutating, producing different symptoms.

And unlike most other flus, the H1N1 swine flu seems to affect younger age groups more seriously than older age groups.

What you should do

So if the chances of you getting swine flu are 50%, what should you do?

First, plan to get the flu.

With a 50% infection rate it is almost a certainty that you or one or more of your family members will get the flu.

Second, assemble basic supplies, including a thermometer, boxes of kleenex, extra toilet paper (look at the symptoms lisst), extra food and water (in case you don't feel like going out).

Third, do some research. Check out the Center for Disease Controls page What to Do If You Get Flu-Like Symptoms.

And finally, just be aware that the next time you feel ill, you might be coming down with the swine flu, and it would be wise to know the symptoms and know what to do until you feel better.

Health Predictions

Here's a little fuel for the fire:

• UK: Swine flu cases double; 100,000 people contract disease in one week...
• U.S. Passes Million Swine Flu Cases, Officials Say - NYTimes.com
• Swine flu virus has spread to almost every country: WHO
• State official: Millions of Floridians could contract H1N1 virus within a year...

And a short video explaining symptoms and what to do if (and when) you get sick: