Are you sick or in love? Or both?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) December 1, 2009 -- U.S. health officials have announced that H1N1 flu, more commonly known as swine flu, has infected more than 22 million Americans. But what can one of America’s most at-risk demographics, the American dating public, do to protect themselves?

“More than 4,000 Americans have died from swine flu so you must take it seriously. Does that mean you stop dating and living your life? Absolutely not,” said Jill Vandor, Executive Director of Matchmaking for eLove, the first company within the dating industry offering both online dating and matchmaking services. “When dating, you should proceed cautiously and take all the necessary preventative measures, particularly if it’s somebody you met online and haven’t met in person yet.”

Symptoms of H1N1 flu include a fever of 100 degrees or more, difficulty breathing, achiness, dizziness and dehydration. Chances are that anybody with any of these symptoms—or any of the more severe ones—probably doesn’t feel like going out on a date.

Yet what if your date is in the beginning stages of the virus? Signs that your date might be coming down with H1N1 flu include:

* Coughing
* Lack of appetite
* Lethargy
* Runny nose
* Nausea

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends several preventative measures—getting immunized, washing your hands frequently with soap and water, avoiding crowds, etc. But how does that help you on a date?

“It’s probably not necessary to ask a potential date if they have experienced bloody mucus or vomiting,” said Vandor. “Still, H1N1 is a hot button topic right now and mentioning it in conversation could be subtle way to find out how your date is currently feeling and whether or not they’ve had H1N1 without hurting anybody’s feelings.”

If you’re still uncomfortable with asking the question, here are some suggestions for other preventative measures you could take with your date:

* Not sharing food, even if it’s just a taste of dessert.
* Wash your hands after holding his or her hand.
* Skip the kiss at the end of the night until you know each other better.
* Decline invites to his or her place, which is probably a good rule of thumb in the early dating stages, regardless of H1N1.
* If you’re really concerned, consider using a matchmaking service, which thoroughly screens a client’s background prior to setting up any dates.

“True love may conquer all, but H1N1 is a pretty formidable opponent. And while you don’t want to stop living your life, you also want to be smart,” said Vandor.

For more information on H1N1flu virus, you can visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site at www.cdc.gov.

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