The Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa hotel, owned by Santa Ana Pueblo, has upgraded its ballroom, spa and bar and has renovated all of its 327 guest rooms. New flat panel televisions are going in as well.

It might seem counterintuitive to invest so much now when the economy has hit hard destination resorts like Tamaya. But Jerry Westenhaver, general manager of the hotel, said the renovations had been budgeted for some time. Also, when business is down, it’s a logical time to do construction.

“The impact on business would be minimal,” he said. “The ballroom is the engine that drives all things, so taking it down would have little impact.”

It’s also cheaper, Westenhaver added.

“With the economy, you can get a lot more work done for less money,” he said. “It’s called leveraging.”

The Pueblo is committed to keeping the product up, he added.

“It’s our second renovation in eight years,” Westenhaver said. “Most hotels don’t go through that. They are committed to doing this and improving the property, regardless of economic conditions.”

The Rio Lounge is where changes are the most obvious. The bar that stood along the windows overlooking the Sandias and the bosque along the Rio Grande has been moved against a wall. It was blocking the best view in the house, Westenhaver said.

A new onyx panel behind the bar is lit from within, lending a pleasant golden light. Large glass doors now open onto a round terrace that has a casual restaurant and fire pits. The lounge also got all new furniture and carpeting.

The Tamaya Mist spa has new slate floors and walls, new carpeting and doors. A common outdoor area will get additional upgrades early next year with a fire pit and a waterfall, as well as kivas with turquoise accents

“We’re probably the only truly cultural resort in the country,” Westenhaver said. “We don’t want to lose that essence, just freshen it up a bit.”

Flick-Mars of Dallas did the renovation design. Andy Lee General Contractor LLC, based in Albuquerque, did renovation work in the suites. Hart Construction of Albuquerque did the Rio Grande Lounge and the spa work.

Westenhaver has a five-member board from the Pueblo he meets with to make sure designs and any promotions the hotel does are in line with the Pueblo’s cultural heritage.

The hotel is offering a promotion this month in honor of Mother’s Day where “mom” and a guest get free breakfast and a two-for-one manicure or pedicure. It’s also continuing a promotion offering guests half off the room rate on their birthday and a free spa treatment and meal in the Corn Maiden (if their guest buys a meal and a spa treatment). That goes through next April, Westenhaver said.

The economy has taken its toll on the resort, he added, as well-heeled travelers watch their 401(k)s drop. Then there’s what he calls the “AIG effect.” Hyatt has had millions in cancellations as corporations pull back from travel and business meetings that might be deemed too luxurious. The Tamaya has felt that too, he said.

Westenhaver said the Tamaya is focusing on regional marketing in nearby states as well as New Mexico. It’s also using technology more aggressively. About 60 percent of its ads will be placed online and in markets like Dallas, Denver and Houston.

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Dayle Ciampa loves to travel. It’s not unusual for this attractive, long-haired brunette to take off to Rome, Florence, Sedona, Boca Raton or Palm Springs — places where she deems spa treatments a necessary part of her itinerary. And why not? As spa owner of Dayle’s European Skincare and Day Spa in Marblehead for 25 years, a lot has changed for Ciampa. Thirty years ago, the only travel she experienced was taking the MBTA bus from Saugus to Marblehead to clean homes.

From her early 20s, Ciampa struggled as a single mother, taking care of her daughter Lisa. But out of those struggles was born her drive. Living in a small apartment in Saugus, Ciampa added to her welfare income by cleaning homes in Marblehead and, for an extra $20 a week, making soup and cleaning for an elderly woman who lived on the floor below. Her brother would help her out with groceries, and her grandfather assisted as well.
“I had to survive,” she states simply.
But she always had a desire for more.
She vividly recalls discovering her passion at the age of 8.

“When my mother was going out, I always wanted to do her makeup,” says Ciampa.

Unbeknownst to her mother, a hard-working woman who sold Fashion 220 cosmetics out of a hatbox, it would be her job — and a book that cost $5.75 that would lead her daughter to her chosen career.

While at a bookstore, a young Ciampa discovered a manual on making your own shampoo and beauty products. But back then, the price tag was more than her mother could afford.
“The woman on the cover looked just like me!” she recalls.

At the suggestion of her mother, Ciampa went to her grandfather for financial aid — and as always, he came through for his granddaughter.

Book in hand, Ciampa went to work concocting cleansers and exfoliation masks in a blender. Ingredients included strawberries, bananas, oatmeal and avocado. During dinner, the family of five, including her stepfather, would try out the homemade products.

“Sometimes the product would be so soupy, we’d be dripping,” laughs Ciampa. “I would imagine if anyone ever knocked on our door, they’d think we were like the Addams family, but I loved making my own products.”

As she grew into a young adult, fate led Ciampa down a difficult road, one that had nothing to do with the beauty business – at least not at first.

It would be through the support of her family that Ciampa would survive the struggles of being a single mom, especially after she decided to pursue her passion.

“I was tired of watching the lifestyles of the successful Marblehead homeowners,” she says of those for whom she cleaned — before deciding to pursue her interest in becoming an esthetician. She saw a better life for herself and knew from her mother’s example that hard work could pay off.

Once again, her family offered her support. She moved in with them, stopped cleaning homes in Marblehead and attended the Elizabeth Grady School to become an esthetician. Then, one day, something incredible happened. Before she even graduated, she was offered a job by owner Joe and teacher Genevieve Grady, parents of Elizabeth, to work at Elizabeth Grady, then located on Humphrey Street in Swampscott.
“Nobody in my class got hired to work before you graduate,” she explains. “I couldn’t believe it.”

She worked there for five years before the Gradys sold the franchise (eventually opening their current location in Vinnin Square in Swampscott).

It was then that Ciampa decided to start her own business in Marblehead.

“I’ll never forget when I told Joe and Elizabeth Grady,” she says. “They gave me a hug, but most importantly, they gave me confidence.”

She chose the seaside town with which she was already familiar, mainly because she didn’t want to open a spa in the new owner’s backyard.

The former nail salon “Margo’s” at 261 Washington St. would become home to Dayle’s European Skincare and Day Spa, which opened in 1984 with a staff of two. Ciampa’s daughter, 13 at the time, would run the front desk on Saturdays. Many of her former Elizabeth Grady clients followed her — and remain faithfully after 30 years.

She rented from David Payne, who owned the building that also housed Pellino’s Italian restaurant. She remained a tenant until 17 years ago when the building turned condo.

Things were changing for Ciampa. She was making enough income from the spa to buy the condo space. Her now husband of 14 years, Gary Goldstein, a public adjuster in Beverly, and father to 25-year-old Josh, helped her map out the road to getting a mortgage. And then she renovated.

“I gutted the whole place, never closing, except in February for one day,” she proudly says.

Ciampa’s drive is no secret, and she had finally paved her path to good fortune.

When her grandfather made his visit to Marblehead, the impact of his statement ran deep.

“You’re going to do really well here,” he said to his granddaughter.

In fact, even though she was told she couldn’t have another child, two years after she married — and shortly after her grandfather died — her son Richard was born.

“He died, and against all odds, I was with child,” says Ciampa. “I thank my grandfather every day for my little boy.”

Lisa continued to work for her mother, becoming a manicurist and esthetician before leaving four years ago to pursue her own career in medical skincare out of Palm Beach, Fla.

Medical spa care was fast becoming a trend worthy of expansion, and Ciampa was on board. She renovated again, and hired Groom Construction to remove the roof and add a circular staircase leading to a floor now utilized for medical spa services.
The proof is in the pudding

Just how well Ciampa has aged is a sign of her success, and most women who find out she is 53 years old want “whatever she’s having.”

For the record, Ciampa’s regimen includes SkinMedica Peels, the cutting edge of skincare, as well as microdermabrasion and HydraFacial treatments that resurface, hydrate and deep cleanse pores simultaneously. And a little TNS doesn’t hurt either.
TNS is a cellular serum treatment used to rejuvenate the skin.

“It’s the latest in skincare medical products,” says Ciampa, who oftentimes discovers treatments while traveling, during which she always checks out the spa services. “When I love something, I want to bring it in.”

Momentous discoveries result from many of her travels; her latest offering resultant of a trip to Boca Raton, where she experienced a medical-grade paraffin treatment that heats up with natural minerals. Included in the treatment is customized aromatherapy, and the apparatus doesn’t require electricity. Better yet, each treatment is individual and sanitary. And then there’s VelaShape, a cellulite treatment-and-reduction procedure with tissue manipulation that, after four treatments, will leave you with a slightly smaller waistline, and smoother skin where it counts.

In order to offer medical spa services, Ciampa had to hire medical director Dr. David Chrzanowski, a facial plastic surgeon who is an expert in minimally invasive facial rejuvenation procedures. He administers Botox, Juvaderm, Restylane and Radiesse to Ciampa’s clientele.

Despite there being so many spas in the community, Dayle’s competition is kept to a minimum because she’s the only spa in the area to offer certain med-spa treatments, such as HydraFacials, but she admits the crowded marketplace keeps her on her perfectly pedicured toes. And those toes can get tired after administering HydraFacial treatments from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., non-stop.
There is no doubt this spa has sustenance.

Today, Ciampa has a staff of 13 women in the nail area downstairs and the upstairs wet room, which offers Vichy showerhead body wraps, a SunFX spray-on tanning booth, ultrasonic facials and more.
Why so many treatments?

“I do it because it’s good for the client, and I want to make the client happy,” says Ciampa.

During her commute each day to Marblehead from her home in Middleton, Ciampa’s wheels are spinning with new ideas. Her latest, in between planning her daughter’s wedding and her son’s bar mitzvah — is to buy out Frank Pellino and add a children’s spa.

Dayle’s 5 secrets to staying youthful

1. Never forget where you come from. “It’s nice to know that when I come in to work that I’m still the same person I was 25 years ago,” says Ciampa. “It’s never gone to my head. And I always treat people the way I’d like to be treated.”
2. Be thankful for family.
3. Live your life with gusto — and lots of travel and pampering. Ciampa plans a visit to Greece and Italy this August with her son and husband.
4. Splurge when you can — actually, this is advice from Ciampa’s husband, Gary Goldstein, who convinced his wife to purchase a Mercedes. Although initially against the idea, she says she’s glad she did.
5. Use Calcium Bentonite Living Clay. Ciampa drinks it, eats it and bathes in it. If she’s the proof, then this mud is the pudding.

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Spa introduces new product line

J Scott Berry wants to bring a little bit of New York City to Leesburg.

Berry, owner of J Scotts Day Spa in Downtown Leesburg, is introducing a new makeup line by Repechage, a New York City-based company.

The spa has already been offering the 29-year-old company’s acne product for a year now with great success he said.

But the makeup is something entirely different the spa is now offering. It’s a mineral, organic blend, Berry said.

“It’s now topping every professional product on the market,” he said.

Up until now the problem with mineral and organic blend makeup products is they don’t give women the coverage they desire, Berry said.

“Women want makeup to give them coverage and makeup that’s easy to use,” Berry said. “Most mineral makeups out there don’t do that.”

Repechage concocted a liquid mineral makeup that gives coverage, doesn’t clog pours and is good for the skin, he said. The new makeup line also does not accentuate the fine lines that come with aging, as most mineral makeups do, he said.

J Scotts Day Spa is holding a huge promotion during May to celebrate Mothers Day and the spa’s four-year anniversary, Berry said.

Spa estheticians will give complementary makeup applications all month. Women who buy a four-layer facial — which includes three layers of seaweed, two massages and fourth layer mineral mask — will also receive a free complementary makeup application.

“We’re running all kinds of specials on facials,” Berry said. “It’s really my salute to women’s month.

For more information about J Scott’s Day Spa call 787-7722.

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Spas have long been considered a haven where the very wealthy go to pamper themselves.

But since the economic downturn, they’ve morphed into something more — a place where overly stressed jitterbugs worried about job stability can go for a few moments of unadulterated relaxation.

That’s what Laurie Mancuso, owner of Bellus Tu Day Spa in Kings Mountain, said she has been seeing for months. Instead of more expensive treatments, folks are opting to fit on-the-go facials and quickie rubdowns into their schedules.

“People are so stressed out that they’re not sleeping, and they want to know what they can do without taking Tylenol PM,” said Mancuso, a former nurse and licensed aesthetician.

It’s a national trend. A recent article in The New York Times said that weekly traffic to the “stress-management” category of Spafinder.com has doubled since the summer.

“It’s not just a luxury anymore. It’s not just for rich people, it’s for everybody,” said Kevin Jones, a massage therapist at Bellus Tu. “More and more people are coming in and their biggest complaint is stress. But during a massage, they can lay there and relax for an hour while the stress of everyday life just melts away.”

The economy is a constant topic of conversation at Spa South Salon in Gastonia, owner Jack Ward said. Ward said that all of their spa services have done fairly well, even in this economy. He said that’s because people are using spas as an escape from all of the doom and gloom they’re hearing about.

“You can get a $25 manicure and have someone massage your arms much easier than you can more expensive services like new clothes and new cars, those things we used to do to reward ourselves,” Ward said.

While any spa treatment can be relaxing, Ward said, he recommends a massage to work out the tension in the neck, back and shoulders for a person under extreme stress. Mancuso said she always recommends regular facials, especially for women, who tend to show their stress in the form of acne and bags under their eyes.

And treatments go beyond the actual 30 to 60 minutes regular folks are spending at spas. Ward touted the longer-term benefits massage treatments can have in encouraging general relaxation.

Jones added that it’s important to educate clients on inexpensive things they can do at home to stay relaxed after their visit — sleeping with pillows under their knees to help alleviate lower back pain, performing quick stretches as they enter doorways, placing ice cold green tea bags or sliced cucumbers on their eyes and carrying simple tote bags instead of heavy, oversized purses.

“Most people can’t afford to come here every day,” Jones said.

Still, an occasional trip to the spa can be worth the therapeutic benefits of a treatment and the unbiased ear of a therapist, particularly during troubled times.

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Voted “Best Spa in Pittsburgh” by Citysearch. Spa Uptown has recently undergone positive changes that we would love to share with you. We want you to make our spa your urban retreat, where you can relax, rejuvinate and renew your spirit.

Geri Mataya, President Spa Uptown

Letter to our Clients:
I would like to extend a Thank You to all of the wonderful guests we encounter on a daily basis.

Spa Uptown has recently undergone positive changes that we would love to share with you. We want you to make our spa your urban retreat, where you can relax, rejuvinate and renew your spirit.

We understand the financial restraints our economy has put on many families and we know that it is more important than ever to feel good in a down economy. We want you to continue treating yourself and we want to help…During the coming months, we will be offering e-mail specials and incentives for your favorite services. We hope they will make a difference in your lives. Be sure you give us your e-mail, if you are not already signed up….. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to continue to pamper yourself. 

We hope together we can get through these slump times to a bright new future. Thank you again for your patronage.

Geri

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Flemington Spa Invites Women To Workshop Series

 A series of workshops for women will be presented at Tranquil Touch Day Spa most Mondays and Tuesdays in May.

It is meant to help women ease fears, calm inner and outer chaos, tap inner resources, receive support without judgment and form a circle of support in the community.

The schedule is:

• Monday, May 4, 7-9 p.m. — Peg Dahme, financial planner will educate and empower you to take control of your money. She will answer questions, too.
• Tuesday May 5, 7-9 p.m. — Mary Stabile promises to help you tap into the healing of your own inner soul and celebrate your possibilities.
• Monday, May 11, 7-8 p.m. — Armand Egidi MSW, LCSW, will help uncover your “inner knowing.” Ask him how he can help you. From 8 to 9 p.m., Kristin Tomlinson, yoga instructor and massage therapist and will discuss how yoga and meditation can help busy women stay centered. She will offer a guided mediation.
• Tuesday, May 12, 7-9 p.m. — Jenny Fisher, author of The Feminine Side of Leadership, will offer practical ways to deal with difficult issues in the workplace by applying both strength and heart to your personal leadership style.
• Monday, May 18, 7-9 p.m. — Kim Bragg, CPA of Bragg & Karnoff, will explain the new tax laws.
• Tuesday, May 19, 7-9 p.m. — Life coach Gail Patterson will tell “how to be certain in uncertain times,” helping you tap into the depths of your inner wisdom and strength.
• Tuesday, May 26, 7 p.m. — All participants and speakers are invited to a final celebration. Light appetizers will be served.

Although there is no charge for the programs, a $5 donation is asked. The participants will decide upon a charity to receive the money.

Seating is limited, so call 788-5573 for reservations.

The spa is on Route 31 and New York Avenue.

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Hot stone massage. Chocolate body scrub. Seaweed thalassotherapy wrap. All sound lusciously decadent and expensive.

Even the $10.9 billion spa industry admits prices are inching up, with some massages reaching $250 at the chicest of resorts. But you don’t have to pay full price. Just like the airlines and hotels, spas operate using yield management, meaning that when things are slow and the economy nosedives, prices drop. You can benefit if you learn when and what to book. Here are tips.

Weather your savings. If your destination has a particularly hot summer (Arizona) or cold winter (Maine), off-season specials may be only a thermometer away. Even five-star resorts have an off-season and a busy season. In the off-season, hotels use room discounts to attract guests, then toss in spa discounts to sweeten the deal.

Timing counts. Every spa has off-peak hours of operation: when it first opens, around noon and late in the day. Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be slow days. Check if services cost less at some days or times.

Ask and ye shall receive. If you’re a walk-in client, ask about daily specials. Say you’ll come early or are willing to use the newest employee. Many spas offer discounted services to fill unbooked time. Occasionally, day spas slash prices for any first-visit treatment, such as a manicure or facial, in the hope you’ll become a repeat customer.

Or, e-mail spas ahead of time and ask about discounts for business travelers. Julie Gallaher of ThingsYouShould Do.com suggests, “Write something like, ‘I’m going to be in your town next month, but I’m on a budget, so I’m looking for something affordable.’ ”

Also, check for special-occasion discounts. For example, Glen Ivy Hot Springs (www.glenivy.com) in southern California offers free spa admission on guests’ birthdays.

Less is more. Services that require extensive training (Thai massage, Shiatsu, cranio-facial, etc.) cost more. So will a spa’s signature treatments because of the more expensive products used. Among the most overpriced spa services, manicures and pedicures as much as triple what a typical nail salon charges.

Bundle up. Bundling several treatments on one day can reduce the cost 10 percent to 20 percent over à la carte services. If you don’t want a particular service in the package, some spas will substitute.

Cast your net wide. Look off-property or outside resort areas where the facilities are often equal in quality but far less in cost. Within a mile of Honolulu’s Waikiki is Aloha Lomilomi (www.aloha lomilomi.com), which specializes in the Hawaiian lomilomi massage with extra discounts for those older than 65. Ask your hotel concierge if any neighborhood spa offers discounts to hotel guests, advises Mary Hall, author of the Recessionista Blog.

Frequency pays. If you’re in a location for a couple of weeks or visit frequently, you may be able to buy a series of treatments – say, six for the price of five – to be used within a specified time. Some spas offer a frequent-user card. The Spa at Inverness (www.invernessspa.com) in Denver offers a Relaxation Rewards card. After 11 visits that rack up $95 or more each in services, you receive a free treatment of choice.

Show your loyalty. Most spas offer loyalty programs for local or repeat customers. The Relache spa at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine (817-778-1800; www.gaylord hotels.com/gaylord-texan) offers the Preferred Customer program. Participants get 20 percent off all services on Mondays through Thursdays. To make the PC list, share your e-mail address so the spa can send you information.

Maximize a mini. Consider express treatments such as a mini-facial or 30-minute massage. A shorter facial and half-hour spent in the relaxation area may just give you the boost you need. Plus, with most full-service spas, visitors who book a treatment are free to use the entire facility – saunas, steam rooms, swimming pool, relaxation lounge – for the day.

Surf the Internet.  For other spa savings options, search with city name and “spa discount.”

Go back to school. Cosmetology or massage-therapy schools charge a fraction of their spa counterparts. Most offer a student salon or clinic where treatments are performed under the supervision of instructors. Search for schools of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (www.careersinbeauty.org) or the American Massage Therapy Association (www.amtamassage.org).

In Dallas, the Salon Professional Academy (214-222-2436) offers facials for $22. Manicures start at $11.

Shop Costco. Another great deal dug up by Consumer Reports’ Shop Smart magazine: Discount warehouse Costco sells two $50  gift certificates for $79.99 (a 20 percent savings). Use the certificates for treatments (even discounted ones) at any spa in the  network.  Make sure you have a local spa that accepts them ands use them right away.

Join the club. Consider a national or regional massage chain. The chains are prone to staffing turnover, and it may take a few visits to find the ideal masseuse, but savings can be significant. For example, Massage Envy has more than 500 storefront clinics nationwide and employs only certified therapists. Members get one massage for $49 to $59 per month (depending on location) with any extras $39 to $49 each.

Hiatus Spa and Retreat in Dallas (214-352-4111; www.hiatusspa.com) offers a similar membership program. Customers pay $59 a month for a 12-month platinum membership or $69 for a six-month gold membership, which gets them one core service such as massage, facial or wrap each month plus unlimited core services priced at the monthly fee. Memberships may be shared by four people in the same household.

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The outbreak of disease in people caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports additional confirmed human infections, hospitalizations and the nation’s first fatality from this outbreak. The more recent illnesses and the reported death suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the United States. Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks.

CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. Yesterday, CDC issued new interim guidance for clinicians on how to care for children and pregnant women who may be infected with this virus. Young children and pregnant women are two groups of people who are at high risk of serious complications from seasonal influenza. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. This is a rapidly evolving situation, and CDC will provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

How your spa should handle the situation

According to industry experts Rebecca James Gadberry, chairman and co-CEO of YG Laboratories, and Terri Wojak, director of True University, the following steps should be taken by your spa to help make it as safe and sanitary as possible for clients and employees alike.

1. Hand sanitizer. Place hand sanitizer in key areas throughout the spa, especially in the reception area, bathrooms and locker rooms. Provide all employees with pocket-sized hand sanitizers and encourage them to carry the sanitizer when they’re off-premises, too.
2. Protective gear. Make sure all estheticians wear gloves and a medical-grade protective face mask throughout services. For the esthetician to see, the mask should lay flat over the mouth and nose rather than in a bubble shape. Do not touch anything else while wearing gloves, such as your face, nose and other surfaces. If it’s unavoidable, change gloves before continuing the service and properly disinfect any areas that were touched.
3. Wipes. Wipe down frequently used doors, phones and communal key boards with sanitation wipes once an hour.
4. Keep rooms clean. Thoroughly wash bowls, brushes and other implements with antibacterial soap and use a medical-grade disinfectant. Always change sheets, towels and bedding after each client.
5. Keep products sanitary. Products need to be kept sanitized, as well. Dispense products into separate bowls before touching the client, or if you need to grab something else, again make sure you have on a fresh pair of gloves. Every product should also be wiped down with a disinfectant after every service.
6. Cancellation policy. Suspend your cancellation policy until the pandemic has passed. Clients who feel ill may decide to come in rather than lose money because they cancelled an appointment.
7. Do not treat ill clients. If a client shows signs of being ill, do not treat proceed with the treatment. It is better to be safe than sorry, and it is not fair to put providers, employees or other clients at risk for illness.
8. Send employees home. Make your staff aware of the main symptoms of the H1N1 virus. These can be found further down in this article. If an employee feels ill at work or before she comes to work, allow her to stay home. This illness comes on suddenly, so make sure you have backup plans to replace employees who may call in sick or be sent home during their shift.
9. Visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site. Not only can you keep up with the latest news about the virus, you can also download a variety of posters to help build awareness about how to protect against passing along the disease and being exposed to it.

The swine flu and you

The following information was provided by the CDC Web site.

What is swine flu?

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

Is this swine flu virus contagious?

CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does swine flu spread?

Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within two days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?

People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to seven days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his eyes, nose or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can  spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface such as a desk and then touches his own eyes, mouth or nose before washing his hands.

How long can viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces such as cafeteria tables, doorknobs and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school, and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water. or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. The CDC recommends that when you wash your hands—with soap and warm water—that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn’t need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenzalike symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact your health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flulike symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the United States with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died eight days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey, occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?

No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

From the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov). Accessed April 30, 2009

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Conde Nast readers name Watermark’s spa one of country’s best

The Watermark Hotel & Spa has been voted one of the top spas in North America by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler.

The Watermark earned an overall score of 92.4, ranking it among the Top Ten hotel spas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and Canada. The complete list is featured in the publication’s April 2009 issue. The Watermark is the only spa in San Antonio to earn a ranking in this year’s Readers Choice Spa Poll.

“We are delighted to have received yet another top accreditation by Condé Nast Traveler and are pleased to have the support of our loyal customers,” says Rusty Wallace, general manager of The Watermark Hotel & Spa. It’s a testament to our outstanding spa staff that our beautiful facility and expert services have earned consistent praise from both San Antonio locals and hotel guests.”

Readers evaluated 79 hotel spas throughout North America on food and dining, location, treatments, spa facilities and spa staff.

“This is an important ranking for us as spas are playing a critical role in providing an escape from the stresses of daily life,” says Liz Hutto, spa director at The Watermark Spa. “Our spa bookings have held strong within the past six months showcasing a real desire by consumers to relax and re-charge.”

The Watermark Hotel & Spa is owned by Irving, Texas-based Omni Hotels. The hotel and spa is located along San Antonio’s River Walk and is a companion property to Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel.

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