A lot has been printed in newspapers and aired on televisions lately about the swine flu.You could even argue that members of the media went overboard with their coverage.

Whatever you believe, one thing is certain: You don’t want to catch the virus.

Angela Batchelor, clinical care coordinator at Chilton Medical Center, spoke to a group of senior citizens earlier this week about prevention the flu this fall.

Batchelor spoke from personal experience, having caught a type of the swine flu earlier this fall.

Prevention is key for not only avoiding the swine flu, but the general flu and other types of viruses.

In late October, vaccines for both the general flu and the swine flu should be available, but maybe rationed to those most at-risk, and even then, it will be first come, first served.

Hopefully, that won’t be the case, and everyone who wants the vaccines will be able to get them.

Other than getting vaccinated, there are other, common sense ways to prevent the flu: Wash your hands often, cover your month when sneezing and cough, stay away home sick people and stay away from work and school if you are sick.