From facemasks to avoiding kisses and in one case, robbing banks, how are people all over the world responding to the "swine flu" outbreak?

In a general effort to protect mouths and noses, both in the Philippines and Lebanon, health officials have advised residents to refrain from kissing or hugging in a bid to halt the potential spread of the "swine flu" or what others are calling the Northern American influenza.

This was initially reported to be tough on the friendly Lebanese, whose social custom is to kiss in greeting three times.

Elsewhere in Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, three armed thieves took advantage of the flu-mask saturated populace to rob a watch store in Mexico City. The three robbers, who wore standard-issue blue surgical masks, were reportedly able to slip into the shop without attracting attention amid the sea of masked shoppers.

Even banks in the Mexican capital reluctantly relaxed their normal rules not to allow customers wearing masks to enter their premises.

The masks were issued to protect citizens from catching the swine flu virus, which can be transferred to humans through close contact with other infected humans and pigs.

Other countries in the world that have reportedly stocked up on masks are Austria, Spain, Australia and Taiwan.

Drugs, bans and thermal scanners

Meanwhile, the most popular measure implemented by governments to date is stockpiling on anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu, a move reported in major countries in Europe and Asia.

In the Philippines, the government reported having 600,000 units of Tamiflu on stock, with an additional P10 million worth of Tamiflu medicine to be bought, which, according to reports only covers a small fraction of the Philippine population.

Although there are no human vaccines against the swine flu virus at the moment, the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are several drugs that can help treat the disease like Amantadine, a prescription drug used to treat Parkinson's disease and influenza-related respiratory infections; Rimantadine or Flumadine; antiviral drug Oseltamivir, and Zanamivir or Relenza used to treat influenza.

Travel bans and advisories against Mexico-bound flights have also been imposed in Austria, Britain, Germany, Russia, and China. A slew of airports all over the world have also installed thermal-scanners at airports to determine whether incoming or outgoing passengers could be exhibiting some symptoms of the deadly virus.

"Swine flu" symptoms include high fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, lethargy, head aches, and lack of appetite. Victims are urged to seek immediate medical help and to steer clear of crowds and public places. They are also advised to wash their hands, take plenty of rest and fluids, as well as cover their noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing.

Know your pandemic

Although "swine flu" infections are not caused by eating properly prepared and well-cooked pork, many countries have imposed partial or total bans on pork imports as an extra precaution against the virus. These countries include Bahrain, China, Croatia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Montenegro, Lebananon, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.

Aside from trade bans, countries like Greece, Italy, and Spain have implemented proactive awareness campaigns by distributing informative fliers on the "swine flu" virus to passengers at airports. The Prague Airport in the Czech Republic has even posted up information boards on the "swine flu" and installed medical testing booths for passengers.

The British government took the information campaign a step further by distributing leaflets to every British home.

Meanwhile, Norway has made a "pandemic committee", the Philippines and Zambia have formed a "swine flu task force", while Denmark and New Zealand have crafted a general "pandemic plan."

According to the WHO, other simple pointers to follow to prevent catching "swine flu" (which is a mix of avian, swine, and human viruses) include avoiding people who appear ill and practicing good hygiene like frequently washing hands with soap, having adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.

As of posting, Mexico has seven confirmed swine flu deaths while the United States has one recorded casualty (a toddler from Mexico City who died in Texas). The WHO tally for confirmed infections, meanwhile, are as follows: US-64, Mexico-26, Canada-13, Britain-5, Spain-4, Germany-3, New Zealand-3, Costa Rica-2, Israel-2, and Austria-1. With reports from Reuters and Agence France Presse.