Swine influenza A (H1N1) is different from the "flu" we have each winter season. It causes a similar illness - fever, congestion, cough, body aches - and is spread through coughing and sneezing. There is no vaccine at this time - flu vaccine given earlier this winter protected against the seasonal variant of influenza A but not the swine flu.

Alerts and recommendations about travel and personal protection will change rapidly in the days and weeks ahead. The most current and authoritative information is available at the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/.