How FLU is spread
Flu viruses are spread from people who are infected to others through coughs and sneezes, which then spread germs through the air and into others or onto surfaces.
Someone with the flu is contagious up to 24 hours BEFORE symptoms appear. To avoid spreading it to others, anyone with symptoms should stay home until any fever has been gone for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines. You may still be considered contagious until you stop coughing.
Flu Symptoms
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.
Symptoms of flu include:
fever (usually above 100)
headache
extreme tiredness
dry cough
sore throat
runny or stuffy nose
muscle aches
Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults.
How to PREVENT the FLU
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough/sneeze or use your upper sleeve, NOT YOUR HANDS.
Wash your hands. Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after blowing your nose, sneezing and before you eat. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer works too!
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. The flu virus can enter your body you touch something contaminated with germs and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Stay home when you are sick. This will help prevent the spread of the flu.
Avoid close contact. Keep your distance from people who are sick.
Stay Healthy. Get plenty of sleep, exercise, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
If You Get Sick
Most healthy people recover from the flu without complications. If you get the flu:
• Stay home from work or school.
• Get lots of rest, drink plenty of liquids, and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
• There are over-the-counter (OTC) medications to relieve the symptoms of the flu (but never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, particularly fever).
Consult your doctor early on for the best treatment, but also be aware of emergency warning signs that require urgent medical attention.
People at Higher Risk
Serious illness from the flu is more likely in certain groups of people with certain chronic medical conditions. These people should see their doctor if FLU is suspected. Any one who:
- is pregnant
- Is VERY Overweight (not just a few pounds)
- or has on going health problems like:
-
- Immune Deficiency (diagnosed by a doctor as having problems fighting infection or taking daily steroids or aspirin)
-
- Lung disease like moderate or severe asthma (taking medicine for asthma one or more days each week)
-
- Heart disease requiring medication
-
- Any health problem requiring daily medication or regular visits to a specialist (example: Diabetes)
FLU – When is it an Emergency?
Flu Symptoms include:
- fever (usually above 100)
- coughing
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- headaches
- body aches
- chills and fatigue
- vomiting, and diarrhea
People at Risk
People age 65 years and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease) pregnant women, and children less than age 5 and adults/children who have suppressed immune systems are more likely to get complications from influenza.
Pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections are three examples of complications from flu. The flu can make chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with chronic congestive heart failure may have worsening of this condition that is triggered by the flu.
Emergency Warning Signs for 12 years & older
Get medical help right away if you or someone you know-
- Has difficult breathing or chest pain
- Has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
- Is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
- Shows signs of dehydration, such as feeling dizzy when standing, being unable to urinate, or (in infants) crying without shedding tears
- Has seizures (for example uncontrolled convulsions) or is less responsive than normal or becomes confused
- Flu-like symptoms improve, but then return with fever and a worse cough
Emergency Warning Signs for children under 12 years of age
Extra care should be taken with younger kids who will be more susceptible to a variety of flu-related problems. Get urgent care if
- Child is less than 12 weeks and fever is more than 100.3
- Child is 3-6 months and has fever over 102.2
- Child is dehydrated (no tears, making very little urine, drinking very little fluids)
- Has labored breathing such as grunting with each breath, wheezing, flaring or widening nostrils with each breath
- Is extremely irritable, seems very lethargic or is very difficult to wake up
1. Call your doctor or medical provider for instructions.
2. If you cannot reach your doctor or medical provider and need emergency help, call 911.
Caring for Someone with the FLU
Keep the sick person in a room separate from the common areas of the house. (For example, a spare bedroom with its own bathroom, if that’s possible.) Keep the sickroom door closed.
Remind the sick person to cover their coughs, and clean their hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing
Avoid being face-to-face with the sick person.
When holding small children who are sick, place their chin on your shoulder so that they will not cough in your face.
Unless necessary for medical care or other urgent business, people sick with a FLU-like-illness should stay home and minimize contact with others and avoid traveling, for 7 days after their symptoms begin or until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
If people with the flu absolutely must leave the house for medical care or other urgent business, they should wear a facemask, if available and tolerable, and cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing
Have everyone in the household clean their hands often, using soap and water or hand sanitizer. Children may need reminders or help keeping their hands clean
Have the sick person wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – if they need to be in a common area of the house near other people.
If possible, sick people should use a separate bathroom. This bathroom should be cleaned daily with household disinfectant.
If you are in a high-risk group for FLU complications, try to stay at least 6 feet from a sick person. If close contact is unavoidable, consider wearing a facemask, if available and tolerable. If at all possible, infants should not be cared for by sick family members.
Cleaning Questions & Answers
How long can FLU remain viable on objects (like counters or doorknobs)?Flu can survive on surfaces and can infect a person for 8 to 24 hours after landing on a surface.
What kills FLU virus? HEAT (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against FLU viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.
What cleaning should be done prevent spreading FLU?
Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
How should waste disposal be handled?
Tissues and other disposable items used by sick persons should be thrown in the trash. Additionally, everyone should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.
How should linens, eating utensils and dishes be handled?
Linens, eating utensils, and dishes used by sick persons do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items must be washed thoroughly before anyone else uses them.
Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed with laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Avoid "hugging" laundry before washing it to prevent spreading. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry.
Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.
Need more information?
Local: San Juan County Health Dept. 360-378-4474
www.sanjuanco.com/health/h1n1_2009.aspx
Have more questions and need to talk to a “person”?
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
