Prevent Swine Flu

Posts Tagged ‘swine flu symptoms’

Like seasonal flu, 2009 H1N1 flu in humans can fluctuate in seriousness from mild to severe. Formerly known as swine flu, the 2009 H1N1 flu virus infection can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people with the flu may also experience symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. It has been noted that certain groups might be more likely to develop a severe illness from 2009 H1N1 flu infection, such as pregnant women and persons with chronic medical conditions.

Influenza viruses are thought to spread from person to person by respiratory droplets coming from coughs and sneezes of an infected person. This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are spread through the air and settles on the mouth or nose of someone close by.  Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets that may be on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose before washing their hands.

The preferred course of action, of course, would be to avoid close contact with persons infected with the flu as much as humanly possible.  Close contact would be considered less than about 6 feet away from the infected person.  If you must come into contact with a sick person spend the least amount of time possible near them and try to wear a facemask or surgical mask or N95 disposable respirator if at all possible. An N95 respirator that fits snugly on your face can filter out small particles that can be inhaled around the edges of a facemask. It may harder to breathe through an N95 mask for long periods of time compared to a facemask. Facemasks and respirators can be found for purchase at a pharmacy, building supply or hardware store.

Some helpful hints to keep in mind if you find yourself in need of wearing a facemask or N95 respirator are the following:

• Wear an N95 respirator if you help a sick person with respiratory treatments using a nebulizer or inhaler, as directed by their doctor. Respiratory treatments should be performed in a separate room away from common areas of the house when at all possible.
• Used facemasks and N95 respirators should be taken off and placed immediately in the regular trash so they don’t touch anything else.
• Avoid re-using disposable facemasks and N95 respirators, if possible. If a reusable fabric facemask is used, it should be laundered with normal laundry detergent and tumble-dried in a hot dryer.
• After you take off a facemask or N95 respirator, clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

If you find yourself in the position of having to take care of a family or household member who is sick with the flu there are steps to take to protect yourself and others who are not sick.  This first step is you should keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible especially others who are at high risk for complications from influenza like illnesses.  This includes making people who are sick with any influenza like illness stay home and keep away from others as much as possible. They should avoid traveling for at least 24 hours after fever has abated.

Remind the flu sufferer to cover their coughs, and clean their hands with soap and water often.  If soap and water are not available, they should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after coughing and/or sneezing.  You should have everyone in the household clean their hands often, using soap and water or hand sanitizer. Children may need repeated reminders or even help keeping their hands clean.

It is a good idea to ask your health care provider if household contacts of the sick person, should take antiviral medications such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) to prevent getting the flu themselves. This is especially important for those who may be pregnant or have chronic health conditions Persons with the flu should use a separate bathroom. This bathroom should be cleaned on a daily basis with a disinfectant of somekind.

Anyone who falls into a high risk group for complications from influenza should attempt to avoid close contact with household members who are sick with influenza. If close contact with a sick individual cannot be avoided consider wearing a facemask.  Infants should never be cared for by family members or persons with the flu.

Keep in mind that the sick person should not have visitors other than the person caring for them. A phone call is much better than a visit.  If possible, have only one adult in the home take care of the sick person. It is not people at increased risk of severe illness from flu should not be the designated caretaker. Having pregnant women care for the sick person should be avoided because pregnant women are at increased risk of influenza-related complications and immunity can be suppressed during pregnancy.

All persons in the household should clean their hands with soap and water often.  This includes after every contact with the sick person or the person’s room or bathroom where you may pick up germs. Use paper towels for drying hands after hand washing.  Another option is to set aside cloth towels to each person in the household. Using different colored towels for each person makes this easier to keep track of.

Joe Raedle / Getty

Since this global swine flu issue is taking off in the media and by word of mouth nearly everywhere you turn, there’s no wondering why so many people may easily panic and overact to even the smallest sign that they feel ill right now. Because of this terror instilled in people, some are going so far as to pour into emergency rooms in many states across our country; they fear they have this horrifying disease. It is strongly urged that people DO NOT rush to the emergency room if they start feeling the tiniest inkling that they have contracted swine flu. Like, “oh, my throat hurts…”, or “I feel more tired than i usually do”, or “what’s with my coughing and sniffling?, that can’t be good!”

It also burdens hospitals, the more that “just paranoid” people that start rushing to ER.  Having to examine people who aren’t really sick puts a toll on the already strained/stressed hospitals that are trying to prepare for a pandemic. Additionally, going to an emergency room without just cause may even put you further in harms way and risk your health. In past outbreaks, including SARS in 2003, hospitals were actually breeding grounds of infections — all those sick people in close proximity — and the same could be true of swine flu.

“If you actually have flu-like symptoms — a fever above 100° F, headache, sore throat, body aches, chills or fatigue — and you live in an area where there have been confirmed swine flu cases, by all means report to your doctor. Otherwise, leave the hospital to the sick people.”

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