The recommendation is based on the protection of public health. At this time there is no indication of swine influenza A(H1N1) on the island.
Even though at present there is no threat of swine flu the Hygiene & Veterinary Department will distribute information to owners of pig pens.
The islands ports of entry have been alerted with respect to the developing situation related to swine influenza and to take the necessary precautionary measures.
A flyer from the Center of Disease Control will be disseminated to various institutions and within the community in the coming days providing preventive information on what hygienic measures should be taken in order to protect oneself from getting swine influenza.
The majority of cases in Mexico where the outbreak first occurred have taken a toll on otherwise healthy young adults. Influenza normally affects the very young and the very old, but these age groups have not been heavily affected in Mexico.
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu.
Most cases of swine flu so far reported around the world appear to be mild and persons have made a full recovery. Each person should take the necessary precautionary measures.
"I would like to reiterate that there is no cause for alarm, but we are taking the necessary precautionary measures at this point in time to protect public health.
"I appeal to the general public to get informed about what swine flu is all about. Information is available at Sector Public Health located in the Vineyard Building and can be found on the internet and by watching the international news.
"The situation continues to evolve rapidly as more and more countries are being affected. We need to remain vigilant. The Influenza Pandemic Coordination Response Team overall objective is to prevent swine flu from reaching our shores, and information will be provided on a continuous basis in order for the community to be able to address the challenges posed by this newly identified influenza virus," Commissioner of Public Health Affairs Maria Buncamper-Molanus told the Government Information Service (GIS) on Tuesday.
Persons interested in learning more about swine influenza A(H1N1) should visit the following websites: www.cdc.gov/swineflu or www.who.int.