With daily news reports warning of a Swine Flu pandemic, people are more concerned than ever about how to protect themselves and their families.

My son started feeling sick today. Whether it’s the Swine Flu, the Stomach Flu, or just a regular cold from a virus, I don’t want to get sick, and the rest of my family doesn’t want to either. The problem is how do you care for a child or family member and keep from getting sick yourself? The answer: disinfect the house!

According to the Federal Center for Disease Control, viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces, so a thorough cleaning of sinks, toilets, doorknobs, and other hard surfaces that people frequently touch is the first and most important step in preventing the spread of disease. Incubation of the flu is generally 1-3 days, but can last as long as 7 days. Persons with swine influenza A (H1N1) should be considered potentially contagous for up to 7 days after the onset of symptoms. So it’s important to clean if you think you’ve been exposed and continue the cleaning for a week after onset even if symptoms lessen.

We’ve all heard the news by now about Swine Flu. In Mexico City, Mexico, the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has claimed over 150 lives, mostly in younger healthy adults in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. There have already been over 40 diagnosed cases in the US (as of April 27, 2009),