Since it first appeared in April of 2009 in Mexico, the H1N1 flu has been not-so-merrily skipping around the globe strewing fear and misinformation in its path.

The Internet is rife with outlandish remedies (from cannabis to putting ghee up your nose), conspiracy theories—H1N1 is an evil plan by the Illuminati to reduce world population by two-thirds, and suggestions for “swine flu parties.” These party animals—and even some misguided parents who’d like to send their kids—deliberately seek exposure to the flu in hopes of acquiring immunity before it mutates into a more virulent strain. It just sounds like a bad idea to actively seek a virus that has killed 3,500 people worldwide—more than 700 in the United States. Not surprisingly, the U.S. Centers for Disease  Control agrees.

Another misguided concern is that eating pork can cause swine flu. For the record, you can’t get H1N1 from properly prepared pork. The pork industry, however, did get sick as pork consumption dropped. To combat this PR disaster, the industry lobbied against calling the new virus mutation “swine flu,” which pushed the switch to “H1N1.”

Fear Factor

One fear that may be more reality based is that of mandatory vaccination. The federal government has thrown considerable budget at H1N1 flu preparedness—$7.7 billion—and there are organizations insisting on vaccinations. All uniformed military personnel will be required to get the H1N1 vaccine, and in New York, health care workers must be vaccinated against seasonal flu or lose their jobs. Some fear a broader H1N1 vaccine mandate may not be far behind.

There’s well-established legal precedent for mandatory vaccinations, with state and local governments assuming primary responsibility for public health. Historically, that’s been a good thing. Think eradication of smallpox and polio, just to name a couple of loathsome diseases. States do offer exemptions for religious, philosophical, moral or medical reasons, so nobody can hold you down and stick a needle in your arm. As a practical matter, enforcing mandatory vaccination for 307 million Americans would be virtually impossible.

Vaccination against H1N1 remains recommended, but voluntary. Expected to be available in October, it will be an adjunct to the seasonal flu vaccine and allegedly equally safe. The CDC’s goal is getting “as many people vaccinated as want to be vaccinated,” but mass numbers queuing up for flu vaccinations, as they did in the ‘50s and ‘60s for the polio vaccine, are unlikely. It could be more like Dr. Carol (Nicole Kidman) in the 2007 film, The Invasion, heading in the other direction when asked, “Have you had your shot?” Even on the front line, there’s not much enthusiasm. Studies show fewer than half of health care workers want the vaccination, despite being among those at highest risk.

Other at high risk are first responders, pregnant women (who so far have accounted for six percent of the deaths, but comprise only one percent of the population), those caring for infants less than six months old, children six months to 24, and ages 25 to 64 with medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes. The grand total is about 159 million people.

Birth of a Virus

So where did this nasty thing come from? H1N1 virus is an alchemical blend of human genes, avian genes and two genes that normally circulate in pigs. Scientists call it a “quadruple reassortant” virus, which simply means that the four genes got into a cell at the same time, swapped genetic material (chromosomes) and then reproduced themselves.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared an H1N1 nationwide public health emergency in April, the same month as the first confirmed U.S. death from the virus. In June, the World Health Organization (WHO) conferred pandemic status on H1N1. To be deemed pandemic, a disease must be easily spread across the globe by human-to-human contact. Being defined as a pandemic does not, however, reflect the severity of the disease.

Worldwide, there have been close to 300,000 cases since April. Most severe cases and deaths have been in adults younger than 50, with elderly deaths comparatively rare. This contrasts with seasonal flu, which hits those 65 or older hardest and kills about 36,000 people annually in the U.S. For further perspective, an estimated 70,000 Americans died in the 1957 Asian flu pandemic, and an estimated 500 million worldwide became ill in the 1918–’19 flu pandemic.

H1N1 swine flu virus may not be the agent to deliver on growing fears of a widespread killer disease—a concept shaped by both real science and numerous apocalyptic-themed films and television shows. It’s thus far seemingly no more virulent or aggressively transmitted than seasonal flu, and seems to be more or less similar in complication rates. So any hysteria is misplaced.

That said, the appearance of H1N1 has elicited other fears. There are safety concerns about the vaccine and questions about close ties between government and drug makers. The new vaccine likely will be the fastest ever to market, and immunity has been granted to the vaccine’s developers—purportedly in the interest of efficiency—by secretary of health and human services Kathleen Sebelius, raising numerous eyebrows.

Vaccination Rebellion

Yet one more vaccine in the mix also raises questions about the overall vaccination schedule. Ten vaccines were recommended for children in the 1970s; the number now is 36, making U.S. children the most vaccinated kids on earth. There are also questions about side effects and the safety of combo vaccines.

Some parents completely eschew vaccinations for their children, but the long-term effects of such rebellion remain to be seen. There are, however, signposts. In 1990 the CDC reported large outbreaks of rubella among unvaccinated Californians and among midwest Amish. Britain experienced a 24-fold increase in measles associated with a drop in measles vaccinations. This decrease in vaccinations had followed publication of a study—later discredited—in the medical journal, Lancet, connecting autism to the MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine.

General disillusionment with the medical community and fear that pharmaceutical companies put profit ahead of health are contributing to anti-vaccination anxiety. Previous gross mistakes also have damaged the credibility of vaccination programs. During the 1976 swine flu outbreak, vaccine was pulled after cases of a neurological condition that causes paralysis, Guillain-Barré, were linked to the vaccine.

Nonetheless, “I think a parent who says ‘no vaccine’ is living in a bubble,” says San Francisco integrative physician Paul Abramson. “There are individual and societal benefits from vaccination.” Abramson expresses concern about how fast the H1N1 vaccine is coming to market, but he’s also seen the full spectrum of symptoms, from mild to critical illness.

“If you’re not in one of the high-risk groups, I’m not sure there’s any need to push,” he says. “But people in high-risk groups may want to consider getting vaccinated. If there’s an option without thimerosal, I’d err on the side of caution.”

Many believe there’s a link between thimerosal (ethyl mercury), long used as a preservative in vaccines, and autism. While medical research claims no linkage, some studies, including one published this year in Toxicology and Environmental Toxicology, show otherwise. Debate continues, apparently with no reconciliation any time soon.

Although only trace elements of thimerosal have been used in most childhood vaccines since 2001, it’s still included in some flu vaccines. For those who choose to vaccinate, Dr. Martha Howard in Chicago recommends asking for a single-dose vial, which doesn’t have thimerosal or an adjuvant (substance that boosts a vaccine’s effectiveness). A nasal spray vaccine called FluMist, containing a weakened, live virus (not recommended for some high risk groups), will be thimerosal-free and may be first to market. The injections will contain killed virus.

“I would just be wary of vaccinations,” cautions naturopathic M.D. Dana Churchill. He acknowledges the importance of some vaccines, but notes that autism, thimerosal, autoimmune illnesses and toxicity are red flags.

Prevention Basics

As with seasonal flu, H1N1 virus is spread by coughing, sneezing and touching—virus potentially live a day on surfaces and in the air. Symptoms are similar as well, and include coughing, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, runny nose and sore throat, and potentially diarrhea and vomiting.

To protect yourself, think basic hygiene. Avoid close contact with sick people, don’t touch your eyes, mouth and nose, and cough into your sleeve or a tissue. Common sense also dictates staying home if you’re sick—a practice ignored by many.

Frequent hand washing with soap and water goes without saying. If sanitizing gel is handier, CleanWell is made from essential plant oils and doesn’t use alcohol, and organic hand sanitizer Clean George doesn’t contain triclosan or benzalknonium, antiseptics that are toxic when mixed with water.

If you get sick with H1N1, antiviral drugs—oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza)—may reduce symptoms and length of illness, just as they may do with seasonal influenza. WHO claims antivirals may help prevent severe disease and death, but other medical practitioners credit them with only limited effectiveness.

Although there are a multitude who won’t even consider being vaccinated, many more will opt for immunization. As Illinois Obstetrician David Rivera says, “I got a swine flu shot in 1976, when I was a medical student, and there was hysteria about the vaccination then. I plan on getting my shot as I do every year.”

While public health recommendations are based on the big picture, they may not apply to one individual for a variety of reasons. Ultimately, it comes down to personal choice.

The Best Defense: Stay Well

“There are tons of influences” on immunity, says Hans Gruenn, an integrative and preventative L.A. doctor who lectures on alternative and mind-body medicine. Among them are nutrition, your genes and your psychological fitness. “If we catch the flu or get a bacterial infection, it’s often due to a weak immune system and not the latest bug.”

Dana Churchill says his experience has been that once the immune system—which is “75 percent in the gut”—calms down, there’s a return to health. To stay ahead of H1N1, the L.A. naturopath suggests three homeopathic remedies: Influenzinum, made from the flu vaccine that’s created for each year’s unique flu; Baptisia tinctoria, made from the perennial plant, wild indigo; and Arsenicum album, derived from arsenic.

Other homeopaths recommend Boiron’s Oscillococcinum (derived from duck liver and heart), oil of oregano (hailed as an antiviral) and mustard oil. Also suggested have been n-acetylcysteine, an amino acid available in health food stores; two Chinese herbs in tandem—Zhong gan ling and Yin chiao chieh tu pien; and garlic and beta-glucans, both of which activate the immune system. It’s also a good idea to drink fresh lemon juice, which helps restore the body’s acid/alkaline balance.

L.A. naturopath Stephen Stiteler suggests emulsified vitamin D and plenty of omega oils. Additionally, he and others emphasize the importance of avoiding sugar and processed foods, maintaining an appropriate diet, getting sufficient rest, adjusting stress levels and exercising.

If you do get sick, whether taking an antiviral or homeopathic approach to symptoms, it’s important to address the illness quickly. Dr. Gruenn recommends that you “Throw everything and the kitchen sink at it” within the first few hours, because there’s a short window of time in which to fight back. However, treatment by a licensed medical doctor should be sought if symptoms are severe.

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