If soap and water are not available, they should use an alcohol-based hand rub. Employees who have an underlying medical condition or who are pregnant should call their health care provider for advice, because they might need to receive influenza antiviral drugs.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. 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. 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.
A downloadable flyer containing this information also is available. Fever can be one of the symptoms of a flu-like illness for many people. A fever is an oral temperature of at least degrees Fahrenheit Signs of a fever include chills, a flushed appearance, feeling very warm, or sweating. Fever-reducing medicines typically contain acetaminophen such as Tylenol or ibuprofen such as Motrin.
These medicines can both help bring fever down and relieve pain. To help avoid spreading the flu, if you have a fever, stay at home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever or signs of a fever. However, if you're taking fever-reducing medicines, you cannot tell if your fever is truly gone. Therefore, when you start to feel better, increase the interval between doses of fever-reducing medicines and continue to monitor your temperature to make sure your fever does not return.
Joe Bresee describes the main symptoms of flu, including H1N1 flu, and when it is serious enough to seek medical help. In children:. Joe Bresee explains the nature of antiviral drugs and how they are used. The intent of these parties is for a person to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease. CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against H1N1 flu in the future.
While the disease seen in the current H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.
Vaccination against H1N1 with a H1N1 vaccine is the best way to protect against this virus. CDC recommends that people with H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for 2 to 8 hours after being deposited on the surface. In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents soap , iodophors iodine-based antiseptics , and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time.
If soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful. Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash.
It's a type of seasonal flu and is now included in the annual flu vaccine. The virus was first identified in Mexico in April It became known as swine flu because it's similar to flu viruses that affect pigs. It spread rapidly from country to country because it was a new type of flu virus that few young people were immune to.
One flu H1N1 virus strain showing Tamiflu resistance was reported in a patient in Denmark who had received treatment — however, Tamiflu resistance in individual patients does occur in a low percentage of cases and is of limited public significance. The Health Protection Agency is monitoring whether such viruses are being transmitted from person to person.
It is possible. The virus may mutate change and become less susceptible or resistant to the antiviral drug, and then spread from person to person. If this happens, the government has a stockpile of Relenza that could be used instead. Scientists are making good progress in developing a new vaccine for swine flu and we are expecting the first batches of vaccines in August. Further stocks will arrive in the autumn, but it may well be next year before we can vaccinate everyone.
The government has ordered enough vaccines for the whole population, but to reduce the impact of swine flu, the NHS is focusing on those at the greatest risk first see Who will be a priority for vaccination with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine? The flu vaccine production process is long and complicated.
Production technology is labour-intensive. The government's plans include two manufacturers, thus maximising chances of early development. The current seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against H1N1, but it is unclear as yet whether this will offer any protection against the current strain of swine flu.
Flu vaccine is produced each year for the seasonal flu. Discussions are ongoing with manufacturers about how much may still be available. However, the government has determined that there are , doses of vaccine available in the UK.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has previously advised that the priority groups in relation to H5N1 the bird flu vaccine should be assumed to be:. The priority groups would be reviewed in light of evidence on the virulence and severity of the new virus in different groups. The government will still aim to achieve universal vaccination, but because the vaccine will have to be delivered over time, it is right that we start thinking now about groups to be prioritised.
At this stage, it is impossible to predict if or how the H1N1 swine flu virus will mutate change. However, experiences with the H5N1 vaccine bird flu vaccine would suggest that an H1N1 vaccine produced using the same processes would also provide a high level of immunity against closely related strains. The level of cross-protection is expected to be greatest for more closely related strains. Orders have been placed for They will play an important part in the response to the pandemic.
While antivirals may reduce the number of complications, there are still likely to be significant numbers of complications occurring in the pandemic. Some of the most common include bacterial infections in the respiratory tract and lungs, such as pneumonia.
Antibiotics are needed to treat such complications. Antibiotics will be used to treat people in the community if they develop complications. In hospitals, antibiotics will be used to treat the sickest patients and may reduce the length of hospitalisation. If you take immunosuppressants you have a greater risk of becoming infected with any virus, including swine flu, and will be less able to fight it off once you have it. Your doctor may advise that your dose of immunosuppressants needs to change.
The appropriate dose will vary from patient to patient. Probably not. Although HIV infects CD4 cells and reduces their number and function, there are other parts of the immune system that are able to fight flu. For more information, go to the Terrence Higgins Trust website links to external site. If you have a low CD4 count under , you may be more likely to suffer complications like pneumonia from any type of flu, including swine flu. If you have stage 1 to 3 kidney disease, or your glomerular filtration rate GFR is above 30, you will be treated as any other person would be.
This means you can take Relenza or Tamiflu, if necessary. If you have stage 4 or 5 kidney disease, or your glomerular filtration rate GFR is below 30, you will probably be under the care of a kidney specialist. Relenza an inhaler is safe to take. If you find this tricky to use, your doctor may give you a reduced dose of Tamiflu tablets instead. It will be months before a swine flu vaccine becomes available.
Go to Who will be a priority for vaccination with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine? You are no more likely to catch swine flu than anyone else.
However, if you do catch a respiratory infection, including swine flu, it may add to the breathing difficulties you may have. Your condition places you at greater risk if you catch the disease. Yes — Tamiflu is safe to take. However, Relenza an inhaler is usually not given to people with asthma as on rare occasions it can cause breathing complications.
However, if you do catch it, your blood glucose may increase and your diabetes treatment may need to be adjusted accordingly. If you find your blood glucose has increased, or you develop thirst and are urinating more, call your GP. If you are on insulin and testing your own blood glucose, you may be advised to do this more often so you can adjust your dose according to the results.
If you start to vomit or become increasingly unwell, call your GP as soon as possible. If you have liver disease you are no more likely to catch swine flu than anyone else. It is thought that antiviral treatments will not affect medicines taken to control epilepsy.
As a carer, you should probably begin planning for an emergency caring situation as soon as possible. It is not yet known, but the vast majority of cases so far in the UK have been in those younger than It is speculated that some older people may have partial resistance to the swine flu virus, due to being exposed to a similar flu virus in a previous pandemic.
Older and frail people are more likely to develop complications from any type of flu, and are generally less able to fight it off. Before travelling, they should check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office FCO website for information specific to the country they are visiting see Useful links. Those who do not have internet access can call the FCO's hour advice line on The Health Protection Agency is advising anyone in the UK who is symptomatic not to travel until they are no longer infectious.
Similarly, any British nationals abroad with flu who want to fly home should only travel when they are no longer infectious. Public transport has not been closed during previous pandemics, and while there is a small additional risk to the public, this is no greater than using other public places. Anyone who has the flu or feels unwell should stay at home and not travel.
The technical definition of Phase 6 is human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one World Health Organisation region, with community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region.
If you experience flu-like symptoms during a stay in a country affected by swine flu, contact a health professional and tell them your symptoms. If you become ill on your flight home, alert the cabin crew to your symptoms. There are procedures in place for dealing with passengers who become unwell on flights, and the airline will advise port health officials on the ground that a passenger requires a health assessment and may need treatment.
Everyone who has been infected with the virus in this country has so far been diagnosed early and treated with antivirals, which reduce the severity of symptoms. The flu virus changes character very rapidly. It can pick up and swap genetic material, which can dramatically change its character, increasing the severity of symptoms. The virus could change in the autumn, so we need to plan for this. Most flu sufferers can be cared for appropriately at home. The UK has well developed plans in place for managing extra demand on the healthcare system during the pandemic — see guidelines on Managing demand and capacity in healthcare organisations surge for more information.
Swine flu spreads through droplets expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes or by touching surfaces contaminated by the droplets. You can protect yourself by staying away from infected persons, frequently washing hands with soap, and cleaning surfaces with disinfectant or warm water regularly. Share Via. While the Centre has ordered additional stocks of medicines and diagnostic kits to strengthen the fight against the disease, you can do your bit by not giving in to these five myths: 1 You can get swine flu from eating pork Wrong!
Should I press the panic button if I have swine flu? People aged 50 years or older. Get our Daily News Capsule Subscribe. Thank you for subscribing to our Daily News Capsule newsletter. Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin.
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