Rachel Maddow Gets Swine Flu
While many late night hosts make their guests feel welcome by shaking their hand or offering some water, Jimmy Fallon welcomed guest Rachel Maddow with a squirt of hand sanitizer.
Fans may have noticed Maddow's one week absence from her show, which she told Fallon on August 31, 2009 was due to a bout with swine flu, also known as the virus H1N1.
"I went and I got diagnosed and everything," Maddow told Fallon. Maddow said that her girlfriend got sick first and then she got the flu. "It was very scary but I'm better now," she assured Fallon.
So how did the political pundit spend her time at home? Maddow admitted she read a series of comic books about war zones, like Palestine and Sarajevo and watched DVDs about the fall of ancient Rome.
Maddow seems to be feeling much better. In fact, she and Fallon were mixing drinks.
In June of 2009, the World Health Organization declared swine flu to be a global pandemic, citing the nearly 30,000 confirmed swine flu cases reported in 74 countries.
Symptoms of swine flu include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing, which are all symptoms of the human influenza virus. Some people have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Good health habits, like covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands, are some of the best ways to prevent the spread of swine flu. If someone you know is sick, avoid close contact and if you are sick, stay home to avoid spreading the disease to others.
