INFLUENZA Your Health is in Your Hands

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INFLUENZA Your Health is in Your Hands
SUNY CANTON
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What is Influenza?

• Acute, febrile respiratory illness affecting
  nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs
• Epidemics caused by influenza viruses A and
  B(Type C uncommon in people no epidemics)
• Occurs worldwide, causing considerable morbidity
  (illness) and mortality (death) each year
• Symptoms appear rapidly

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What is Different about Flu This Year?

• Currently there is a new type of flu virus, H1N1
  (Swine Flu), circulating among the world along
  with the expected or seasonal flu virus.
• This H1N1 virus has caused a Pandemic

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What is an Influenza Pandemic ?

• A global influenza outbreak
• Caused by a brand new (novel) flu virus
• Viruses can be isolated at any time of year
• Because it is a new virus, few or no people are
  immune
• Many people are getting sick in every part of the
  world
• A Influenza Pandemic indicates the global spread
  of a new flu virus but doesnt indicate the
  severity of the virus
• A global pandemic was declared by the World
  Health Organization (WHO) for the H1N1 (Swine
  Flu) virus on June12, 2009

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The Current H1N1 Pandemic

• Started in Mexico in April 2009
• Spread to the United States and around the globe
  creating a pandemic by June 2009
• Causing illness similar to seasonal flu
  (severity/death rate)
• Affects similar groups as seasonal flu with an
  additional group age 5 to 24

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Influenza Symptoms

• Fever (gt100), dry cough, sore throat, muscle
  aches/pain, headache, lack of energy, possibly
  runny nose
• In H1N1 Flu may also cause vomiting and/or
  diarrhea
• Fever and body aches for 3-5 days
• Cough and lack of energy - 2 weeks
• Symptoms similar to other upper respiratory
  diseases such as a cold but feel much worse

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Why Be Concerned?

• The H1N1virus can change (mutate) and become more
  severe the longer it circulates.
• Since this is a new virus there is little or no
  immunity so it can spread easily
• There is no vaccine (yet) that can provide
  protection against H1N1 flu.
• It is expected that in the Fall/Winter 2009, the
  outbreak will continue and spread.

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Who Needs to be Prepared?

• WE ALL DO

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What Can You DO?Your Health is in Your
Hands..

• You are your own best defense
• Stay Healthy
• Be Prepared
• Get informed

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• STAY HEALTHY

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Your Health is in Your Hands..

• It is estimated that the H1N1 Vaccination will
  not be available UNTIL LATE 2009 or early 2010
  and will be limited to high priority groups at
  the start
• Seasonal Flu vaccine will be available and is
  recommended for anyone wanting to reduce their
  chance of getting seasonal flu
• We must prevent the spread of flu through basic
  health strategies

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Stay Healthy - Individual Infection Control

• Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette and hand
  hygiene are effective strategies to stop the
  spread of germs.

We should make good hygiene a habit now.
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Stay Healthy - Individual Infection Control

• Try to stay three feet from people if you have to
• cough or sneeze.
• Do not share eating utensils, drinking
• glasses, towels, pens, cell phones or
• other personal items
• Stay at home when you are sick. Keep your
• children home from school or daycare when
• they are sick

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Stay Healthy - Hand Hygiene

• Wash Hands Frequently
• Soap and hot water
• Minimum of 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing
  Happy Birthday twice)
• Alcohol based hand rubs
• Learn how to do it right
• Website with embedded video
• or
• Video Download

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Stay Healthy Cover Your Cough

• Many illnesses like influenza are spread by
• sneezing or coughing. Start now and get into
• health habits that reduce the spread of germs.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue
• when coughing and sneezing. Throw out
• the tissue and wash your hands.
• If you dont have a tissue, dont use your
• hands. Instead, cough or sneeze into the
• crook of your arm so you wont get germs
• on your hands and spread them to others.

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Stay Healthy - What About Masks?

• Recommended for
• Health care workers with direct patient contact
• Those at high risk for complications of
  influenza
• Symptomatic persons
• Contacts of ill persons

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More About Masks..

• Benefit of wearing masks by well persons in
  public settings has not been established
• Persons may choose to wear a mask as part of an
  individual protection strategy that includes
  respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette, hand
  hygiene, and social distancing.
• If you wear a mask,
  keep your hands away
  from your face!
• Clean your hands each time you touch your mask!

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Health is in Your Hands

• If you go to the doctors office or emergency
  department when you are sick, ask for a mask
• Keep immunizations up to date including an annual
  flu shot.

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Stay Healthy - Work or School Infection Control
Strategies

• Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette, hand hygiene
• Stay away if ill
• Encourage self-reporting of illness that develops
• Active screening for illness in staff/students

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• BE PREPARED

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Individual and Family Preparedness is Crucial!

• We might have to take care of ourselves and
  those around us
• Would you be ready?

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Be Prepared.

• Medical, Health Emergency Supplies
• Prescribed medical supplies Soap and water, or
  alcohol-based hand wash
• Medicines for fever, such as acetaminophen
  (Tylenol) or ibuprofen
• Thermometer
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Vitamins
• Hydrating drinks such as Gatorade
• Cleansing agent/soap
• Tissues

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Influenza Preparedness Checklist

• Start now to limit the spread of germs and
  prevent infection
• Hand hygiene
• Respiratory hygiene
• Stay home if sick
• Have non-prescription drugs and other health
  supplies on hand
• Stay Informed
• Develop you own plan at
• http//www.pandemicflu.gov/planguide/checklist.htm
  l

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If You Think You Have the Flu

• Check with your health care provider about any
  special care they might need if you are pregnant
  or have a health condition such as diabetes,
  heart disease, asthma, or emphysema.
• Check with their health care provider about
  whether they should take antiviral medications.
• Keep away from others as much as possible. This
  is to keep from making others sick. Do not go to
  work or school while ill.
• Stay home for at least 24 hours after fever is
  gone, except to seek medical care or for other
  necessities. (Fever should be gone without the
  use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports
  drinks) to keep from being dehydrated.

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If You Think You Have the Flu (contd)

• Cover coughs and sneezes. Clean hands with soap
  and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often and
  especially after using tissues and after coughing
  or sneezing into hands
• Wear a facemask if available and tolerable
  when you must share common spaces with others to
  help prevent spreading the virus to others. This
  is especially important if others are at high
  risk for complications from influenza. 
• Be watchful for emergency warning signs (see
  below) that might indicate you need to seek
  medical attention.

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When to Seek Further Medical Care.

• Get medical care right away if you or a sick
  person
• with flu like symptoms
• has difficulty breathing or chest pain
• has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
• is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
• has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when
  standing, or absence of urination
• has seizures (for example, uncontrolled
  convulsions)
• is less responsive than normal or becomes
  confused

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• GET INFORMED

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Frequently Asked Question
Questions Answers Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
and You http//www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm How
to care for yourself or others with H1N1
http//www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm

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Get Informed

• Get informed/Stay informed on the web
• Health and Human Services http//www.pandemicflu.
  gov
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• http//www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
• Learn more about emergency preparedness
• http//www.redcross.org

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What Did You Learn?

• Take the Test

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• T F There is currently a vaccine for seasonal
  flu but not for H1N1flu
• T F Pandemics can cause greater disasters
  because they affect large areas around the
  world.
• T F H1N1 (Swine Flu) has become a pandemic
  flu.
• T F There is nothing you can do to prepare for
  influenza season.
• T F It is best to cover your nose and mouth
  with a tissue or your elbow when you
  cough/sneeze.

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• T F Washing your hands can greatly reduces your
  risk of illness.
• T F If you are coughing or sneezing stay at
  least one foot away from people.
• T F Hydrating drinks and soups are items to
  have on the shelf in case you get the flu.
• T F If you have the flu, stay home for at least
  24 hours after fever is gone, except to seek
  medical care or for other necessities. (Fever
  should be gone without the use of a
  fever- reducing medicine.)
• T F The Centers for Disease Control and
  Prevention (CDC) is a good source for pandemic
  flu information.

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Check Your Answers

• 1. T
• 2. T
• 3. T
• 4. F
• 5. T
• 6. T SUNY
  CANTON
• 7. F
• 8. T
• 9. F
• 10. T