Tamiflu vs. Swine Flu

Swine flu! This PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERN is freaking me out. Somebody please give me Tamiflu!

According to the US Center for Disaster Control, "the recommended antiviral drugs for swine influenza are oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu®) and zanamivir (brand name Relenza®). Both are prescription drugs that fight against swine flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in the body. These drugs can prevent infection if taken as a preventative."

I am trying to get my hands on at least 2 boxes of Tamiflu. Wish me luck. 

In the mean time, here are some tips from the CDC.

PRACTICE HEALTHY HABITS TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF SWINE FLU

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. This removes germs from your skin and helps prevent diseases from spreading.
  
• Use waterless alcohol-based hand gels (containing at least 60% alcohol) when soap is not available and hands are not visibly dirty.
  
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and put your used tissue in a wastebasket.
  
• If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
  
• Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner (with at least 60% alcohol) when soap and water are not available.
  
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread that way.
  
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. (Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.)
  
• It is important to follow the advice of local health and government authorities. You may be asked to restrict your movement and stay in your home to contain the spread of swine flu.

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How to Remove Ink Stains from Longchamp Bags

Baglove called me last night to tell me that her HSBC bill, which I'm guessing was laser-printed, stained the lining of her fox orange Planetes. Imagine her bill permanently imprinted on her bag! I was laughing my ass off until I noticed that she was not laughing with me. Me, bad friend! To redeem myself, I shared with her Teacher J's tip. After around 30 minutes, she texted me to say that the tip worked. Me, good friend!

Teacher J shared with me her secret to removing ink stains in Longchamp bags. It's MILK! 

The Steps:

1. Dip the tip of a wash cloth in milk. Teacher J used evaporated milk but I guess any kind of milk will do.
   
2. Gently rub the milk-soaked tip of the wash cloth in the stained area.
3. After each rub, pat dry the area with another clean dry cloth.
4. Repeat the steps until the stain is gone.

I must admit that I was very skeptical at first but Teacher J swears by it. She already tried it twice on her pink Le Pliage with much success. I finally decided to blog about the tip after Baglove confirmed that it really works. 

Note: Pictures to follow

Check out this link --

Longchamp Spring/Summer 2009 Collection Material and Care Guidelines

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How to Get a Philippine Postal ID

The bank would not let Ate S and M open a savings account without 2 valid IDs. Aside from the Condominium IDs issued to the employees of the residents, they don't have any other identification card so the teller suggested that they get Postal IDs.





HOW TO APPLY FOR A POSTAL ID

1. Go to the nearest PhilPost Office. It is best if you go to the post office in your zip code.
2. Ask for a copy of the Postal ID Application Form or Form No. 391. They will probably give you a photocopy. The form is free here in Quezon City but I heard that some cities charge a minimal fee.
   
3. Fill in the upper half portion of the application form with your personal data.
4. Have your picture taken. You need to attach 3 identical 2x2 ID pictures with white background to your application form.
   
5. After filling up the form and attaching 1 picture, we had the form photocopied so that Ate S and M would have 4 copies each. (1 for the post office, 1 for the barangay, 1 for the notary public and 1 personal copy) This is not required but we did it in case the Barangay Captain and the notary public ask for a copy.
   
6. Bring the application form to your Barangay Hall.
7. Request for a Certification from the Barangay Captain that you are a resident of the Barangay. The Barangay Captain will fill up the bottom portion of your application form and give you a photocopy of his/her valid ID. He may or may not ask to retain 1 copy of the application form. Our barangay charges P50 for this.
   
8. While you are in the Barangay Hall, get a Community Tax Certificate. You need this to complete your application form. Ate S and M paid P50 each.
   
9. Have the application form duly notarized. There is usually a notary public near barangay halls. The notary public will ask for a copy of the notarized document. Notarization costs around P150 per document.
   
10. Go get a NSO certified copy of your birth or marriage certificate. (Click here for tips on how to get one.)
    
11. Submit the following to the post office: 1) Duly accomplished application form [notarized with attached photocopy of the Barangay Captain's valid ID]; 2) 3 pcs. 2x2 ID picture with white background; 3) NSO certified copy of birth or marriage certificate; and 4) P315 postal ID fee. The postal ID fees vary from city to city.
    
12. Expect to come back for the ID after a few days. In the case of Ate S and M, they were able to get the ID after 3 days.

Estimated Total Cost: P815
1. ID Picture - P60
2. Barangay Certification - P50
3. Community Tax Certificate - P50
4. Birth Certificate - P140
4. Notarization - P150
5. Postal ID Fee - P315
6. Others (Transportation, Food, Photocopying) - P50

It is EXPENSIVE. Good thing it is valid for 5 years.

Ate S and M now both have BPI savings accounts. Their next goal is to get voter IDs.

NOTE:

• For applicants without a birth certificate, they have to submit a certification of no record from the Local Civil Registrar or a negative certification from NSO plus any of 2 of the following requirements: baptismal certificate, permanent Elementary School Record 137-E, marriage contract of parents issued by LCR (if single) or marriage contract of applicant (if married) or certificate of Live Birth duly signed and properly filled up.
• Instead of a certification from the Barangay Captain, the applicant may submit: a valid NBI clearance; if student, certification from the Principal or School Registrar, together with photocopy of the valid identification card of the Principal or School Registrar; or if employed, certification from the employer with the employer's valid identification card.
• Data from www.pia.gov.ph
  

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Bugged by Bed Bugs!

The bed bugs are coming.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worries about bed bugs so much that they hosted the very first bed bug summit yesterday. This scary news was enough to make me come out of my long blogging hiatus.

They are like vampires! Bed bugs feed on human blood and are virtually indestructible. There are currently no pesticide or spray that can kill them so prevention is key.

Here are some helpful sites on bed bug prevention:

1. Your Bed Bug Questions Answered by Dateline
   
2. How to Prevent Bed Bugs by eHow
   
3. The Bed Bug Resource

I hate learning about this. One must not underestimate the power of suggestion. I bet I'll be itching and turning in my bed tonight.

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