Preventions of H1N1 virus

Precautions advised to take

a) Get vaccinated


b) Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after used.

c) Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

d) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

e) Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

f) Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100oF or 37.8oC) or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®)

g) Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

 
Diagnosed with H1N1
 
 a) Stay home, follow your doctor’s orders, and watch for signs that you need immediate medical attention.


b) Remain at home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.

c) Avoid close contact with others, especially those who might easily get the flu, such as people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women, young children, and infants.

d) Wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others. This is especially important if other household members are at high risk for complications from influenza.

e) Get plenty of rest.

f) Drink clear fluids such as water, broth, sports drinks, or electrolyte beverages made for infants to prevent becoming dehydrated.

g) Cover coughs and sneezes.

h) Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into your hands.

Tending H1N1 Flu patients

a) Avoid being face-to-face with the sick person. When holding a small child who is sick, place his/her chin on your shoulder so that he/she will not cough in your face.


b) Make sure everyone in the household cleans their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.

c) Remind the patient to cover coughs, and clean his/her hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing.

d) Speak with the person’s health care provider about any special care that might be needed, especially if the person is pregnant or has a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema.

e) Talk to your health care provider about taking antiviral medication, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®), to prevent getting the flu.

f) Ask the patient’s health care provider whether the patient should take antiviral medications.

g) Consider wearing a facemask or respirator, when close contact is unavoidable.

h) Monitor yourself and household members for flu symptoms and contact a telephone hotline or health care provider if symptoms occur.

i) Get medical care right away if the patient exhibits emergency warning signs.



[Link: http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/h1n1/index.html]