H1N1 Fact not Fiction

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After being sick for more than a week with a “flu-like” illness my doctor says was probably Swine Flu I decided to sift through some of the massive amounts of information found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website and the Virginia Department of Health’s website.

According to VDH H1N1 vaccine will not be available to the general public until mid-November

VDH has a database in order of zip code with all of the locations that will be getting the H1N1 vaccine

Go to www.vdh.state.va.us or call 1-877-ASK-VDH3 for specific vaccine information details

Symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people, particularly young children, may also experience vomiting and diarrhea.

Call your doctor as soon as you notice symptoms. Tamiflu will only help if given within the first 48 hours.
If you are sick wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others.

What you need to know about masks:

*Facemasks and respirators may be purchased at a pharmacy, building supply or hardware store.

*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.

If someone in your house is sick and you have to care for them according to the CDC:

Ask your health care provider if household contacts of the sick person—particularly those contacts who may be pregnant or have chronic health conditions—should take antiviral medications such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) to prevent the flu

Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.

Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water right after handling dirty laundry. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

If you are at high risk of influenza associated complications, you should not be the designated caretaker, if possible.

All persons in the household should clean their hands with soap and water frequently, including after every contact with the sick person or the person’s room or bathroom.

Influenza infections can lead to or occur with bacterial infections. Therefore, some people will also need to take antibiotics. More severe or prolonged illness or illness that seems to get better, but then gets worse again may be an indication that a person has a bacterial infection. Check with your health care provider if you have concerns.

You will also find more information at www.cdc.gov and you can call 1-800-CDC-INFO.