Ask Dr. Besser: Common Swine Flu Questions

Oct. 28, 2009— -- As the novel H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, continues to spread across the country, the public has many questions about how to stay healthy.

Below, ABC News' senior medical editor Dr. Richard Besser tackles some of the most common concerns:

1) How worried should people be about the swine flu?

Besser said that while the public should not panic, people should definitely be aware of the virus and the threat it can pose.

"There are several things that people need to understand," Besser said. "One is that whenever there is a new outbreak, there's uncertainty. How this will unfold is not clear."

Besser added that what people do now to protect themselves -- such as receiving the H1N1 vaccine when it is available and practicing good hand hygiene habits -- will go a long way toward protecting everyone

"Another reason that people need to take action is that what we do now as individuals and as parts of communities will impact how severe this is in our communities and around our country," he said.

2) If you haven't seen many cases of the swine flu in your area, do you have to worry about catching it?

Besser said it's incorrect to assume that because the virus hasn't been widely reported in your area, you don't need to worry about it.

"Flu doesn't hit the whole country at the same time," he said.

The good news is that if your area hasn't been hit yet, you have time to get the vaccine to protect yourself. But Besser warned that you still need to get the vaccine, even if your area has so far been spared, because flu spreads more readily in cool weather.

3) Is it possible to differentiate between swine flu and seasonal flu based on symptoms?

Swine flu and seasonal flu can look and feel the same, Besser said, so telling them apart could be a challenge.

"They may hit groups a little differently," he said, explaining that swine flu has been hitting children harder, while the seasonal flu hits older people harder.