While there is no vaccine for this latest strain of flu, there are some precautions you can take to protect yourself.

People are buying face masks, plastic gloves even taking cold medicine to try to ward off this near-pandemic.

But what really works and what doesn't?

We sent Action News Reporter Jessica Light to find out.

People are snatching hand sanitizers off store shelves just as fast as face masks.

"They're talking about a pandemic which sounds very scary." says Pharmacist Karen Pompi at Apalachin Pharmacy.

As people prepare for this potential pandemic, Apalachin Pharmacy is already running low on face masks.

"If you know an outbreak happened in Binghamton boy I'd be walking around in a mask." says Victoria Horton of Conklin.

But not all face masks are created equal. You want to make sure you buy one that filters out bacteria. Then you have more of a chance of filtering out the swine flu.

Over-the-counter cold medicine won't prevent the flu, or get rid of it.

Prescription Tamiflu is your best bet for relief, but it will only treat flu symptoms.

It does nothing to prevent transmission.

Clintwood Healthy U in Vestal is already out of the drug and waiting for a shipment.

The pharmacist here says people want Tamiflu in their medicine cabinet, just in case.

"As long as they're not taking it, um you know the doctors I'm sure are ok with that. You know you don't want to upset the apple cart by taking this and getting a resistant strains and things like that." says Pharmacist Julie Bowers from Clintwood Healthy U.

The best way to ward off this infectious disease?

Wash your hands and wash them often.

Soap and water beats out hand sanitizer, but Horton uses both.

"I've got hand sanitizer in my bag right now actually, I use that a lot. I'm paranoid about washing my hands. 100 times a day you know?" says Horton.

Tyrece Rivers just remembers Mom's rules.

"Since I was little every time I cough or sneeze, ah coo, cover your face you know? Just so nobody can catch anything." says Rivers of Binghamton.

Back to the basics to boost your personal hygiene and your immune system.

In Johnson City, Jessica Light, WBNG-TV Action News.

The World Health Organization says it will stop using the term "swine flu."

It doesn't want people thinking pigs are a danger.

The WHO is sticking to the strain's scientific name... H1N1 influenza A.