Prevent Swine Flu

The CDC is recommending all healthcare providers receive both the seasonal influenza vaccine every year and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Healthy persons including healthcare providers, who are infected with influenza virus, can transmit the virus to persons at higher risk for complications from influenza, like patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease.

Early treatment with oseltamivir or zanamivir should be contemplated for persons with flu-like symptoms, suspected or confirmed, who have an elevated risk for complications including patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease. Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease within any of the following prioritized groups are recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine:

• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
• Persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old
• Persons between the ages of 25 and 64 years old who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems (including with inflammatory rheumatic disease)

Persons age 65 or older are not included in these specific groups because recent research indicates that the chance of infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the chance for younger age groups. While not expecting a shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine, the CDC states that availability and demand can be unpredictable. Once the need for the vaccine among the younger groups has been taken care of, the vaccine should be offered to people age 65 or older, including people with inflammatory arthritis.  Persons with inflammatory rheumatic disease who develop flu-like symptoms need to know the following:

• If you develop flu-like symptoms contact your healthcare provider.
• Avoid contact with others. Seek medical care early. You should stay home and avoid travel, including not going to work or school, until at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or necessities. Your fever should be gone without using fever-reducing medications.
• If you leave the house to seek medical care, wear a facemask, if available and tolerable, and cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
• Do not stop taking any medicine you take for your arthritis unless told to do so by your physician.
• Seek medical attention early. Treatment is available for persons with severe disease and those at high risk for complications. Persons with inflammatory rheumatic disease are considered high risk for complications from the flu; therefore, your health care provider may choose to prescribe antiviral medications for you if you get the flu.
• If you are exposed to someone who has flu, consult your health care provider.  They may prescribe medication to help prevent you from getting the flu or watch you closely to see if you develop flu symptoms.

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