Swine flu was the buzz word on everyone’s list last spring, but fears waned as the weather warmed. However, state public health officials are gearing up for a tough winter, and urging the public to take precautions against a second wave of the disease.

Lisa Crowner, health educator from the Department of Public Health, spoke to members of the Duxbury Medical Reserve Corps at the Senior Center on Monday night. The topic was the H1N1 influenza virus –– Crowner said health professionals are trying to avoid the term “swine flu” because of the negative impact it has on the pork industry. Despite the nondescript name, the H1N1 virus is a serious threat that has already claimed 11 lives in Massachusetts. Although most people who catch the disease only become mildly or moderately ill, officials are keeping a watchful eye out for any sudden mutations in the virus and the World Health Organization has declared a global pandemic.

Crowner started her presentation with a rhyme used by health professionals during the massive and deadly flu pandemic of 1918 (incidentally, also a strain of the H1N1 virus): “Flu?/If we but knew/The cause of flu/And whence it came and what to do/I think that you/And we folks, too/Would hardly get in such a stew/Do you?”

“This is our charge,” said Crowner. “To learn as much as we can so we don’t get into the stew.”

She said that due to the high level of cases of flu, both of the seasonal and H1N1 variety, doctors won’t be administering tests. Although the flu has many symptoms (see sidebar), the biggest red flag is a temperature over 100 degrees.

If anyone thinks they have the flu, they are supposed to stay home from school or work until they haven’t had symptoms for 24 hours. (Seven days for health care providers.)

Crowner said that people can be carrying and sharing the virus even before they get sick.

“That’s what makes influenza really tricky. People walk around feeling fine but they’re transmitting the virus,” she said.

The best way to prevent against the virus, Crowner said, is to get vaccinated, although staying home, getting rest and hand washing are good preventative measures. There are vaccinations for the seasonal flu virus as well as the H1N1 strain.

The people with the highest priority for getting the vaccine are pregnant women, said Crowner, followed by children, health professionals and people likely to suffer complications from the flu.

She said a healthy adult can get both shots on the same day. Young children may need multiple shots.

“For kids, it’s going to be a tough winter,” she said.

Crowner said that although there were few serious or fatal cases of H1N1 in the spring, the fall version of the bug could be more serious.

“Historically when we’ve seen a second wave, it has been more deadly and more difficult to deal with.” she said.

“I would love to think this is all hype, but the reality is we don’t know what the future holds so we have to be prepared.”