H1N1 influenza (swine flu) and seasonal flu: Protecting yourself and your family

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	Video courtesy of Ready Anoka County. H1N1 news Allina Twitters H1N1 news at @AllinaH1N1. More about flu prevention Do you have a cold or the flu? Flu shots: The best way to avoid a bad case of the flu Hand washing 101 Virus or bacteria? Flu.gov Minnesota Department of Health: Influenza (Flu) Minnesota Flu Line: 1-866-259-4655 Wisconsin Department of Health: H1N1 flu H1N1 videos in multiple languages from ECHO Minnesota H1N1 influenza (swine flu) and seasonal flu While we wait for broader distribution of the H1N1 vaccine, our primary defense against the flu is prevention. Hospital visitor limitations: To protect our patients and health care team members, new hospital visiting guidelines went into effect Monday, November 2, 2009. Read the visitor limitations. Questions and answers about H1N1 influenza and seasonal flu Many patients have been calling us about H1N1 (swine) influenza and seasonal flu. So we've answered some common questions. If you have possible flu symptoms you can also call the Minnesota FluLine at 1-866-259-4655 for information and treatment options. How will I know if I have H1N1? H1N1 (swine) influenza symptoms are similar to seasonal flu symptoms: fever above 100 degrees Fahrenheit cough sore throat stuffy nose In some cases, people have also experienced diarrhea and vomiting, body aches and headaches. People with possible flu symptoms can call the Minnesota FluLine (MN FluLine) at 1-866-259-4655 for information and treatment options. Professionals will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People with limited English skills will be connected with an interpreter. There is no charge for the call. What should I do if I get H1N1? If you become ill with influenza-like symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you have chronic disease conditions that increase your risk for complications of the flu, call your clinic to determine if you need to be seen. People with possible flu symptoms can call the Minnesota FluLine (MN FluLine) at 1-866-259-4655 for information and treatment options. Professionals will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People with limited English skills will be connected with an interpreter. There is no charge for the call. When should I be seen by a doctor? People with possible flu symptoms can call the Minnesota FluLine (MN FluLine) at 1-866-259-4655 for information and treatment options. Professionals will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People with limited English skills will be connected with an interpreter. There is no charge for the call. Contact your health care provider about being seen if you have flu-like symptoms and are at high risk for health problems. People at risk for medical complications related to H1N1 or other flu viruses include: children younger than 5 years old (children under 2 years old are at higher risk for complications than older children) adults 65 years and older pregnant women people with certain chronic medical or immunosuppressive conditions people younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy. People with certain symptoms also should be seen by their health care provider: Symptoms to watch for in adults include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen; sudden dizziness; feels like heart is racing (tachycardia); severe nausea or vomiting that continues; sick, then better, then worse. Symptoms to watch for in children include fast breathing or difficulty breathing; bluish or gray skin color; not drinking enough fluid; severe vomiting or vomiting that persists; not waking up or not interacting (listless); irritable - does not want to be held; sick, then better, then worse. When will H1N1 vaccine be available? Allina clinics have begun to receive H1N1 vaccine from the Minnesota Department of Health. Initial vaccination is being prioritized to people in these categories: pregnant women children ages 6 months through 4 years old If you are a current patient of Allina Medical Clinic, Aspen Medical Group or Quello Clinic and are in one of the above categories of people, please contact your clinic to ask about scheduling an appointment for the H1N1 flu vaccine. Please note that quantities of the H1N1 vaccine are limited and we cannot guarantee H1N1 vaccine availability. How about the seasonal flu vaccine? Seasonal flu vaccine is not currently available at most Allina clinics. Production of the seasonal flu vaccine has been delayed due to production of the H1N1 vaccine. We do not know when additional supplies of the vaccine may be available at our clinics. If you have a visit to your clinic scheduled, please ask if the seasonal flu vaccine is available at your visit. If you are an Allina Medical Clinic, Aspen Medical Group or Quello Clinic patient, please contact your clinic to ask about seasonal flu vaccine availability. Do I need to get the seasonal flu vaccine if I get the H1N1 vaccine? Yes. The seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against H1N1 influenza (swine flu), and the H1N1 vaccine does not cover other influenza viruses. To be fully protected, you need to get both types of vaccine. Can I get the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccines at the same time? The vaccines may be available in injectable and mist forms. You can get seasonal flu and H1N1 injection (or shot) at the same time. An injectable form of one vaccine and mist form of another also may be given at the same time. But you cannot get the mist version of both at the same time. Pregnant women, people older than 50 and people with breathing problems or weakened immune systems should not get the mist version of either vaccine. Taking the mist version involves inhaling a live version of either virus. While the live form cannot cause the flu, it can cause more medical problems in people with conditions conditions like asthma, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart disease. Do I need a seasonal flu shot at all? An annual flu shot is an important step in protecting against seasonal flu. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three seasonal viruses that research suggests will be most common. Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications. They include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older. Will I need to wear a mask if I go to a clinic? When you check in with the clinic receptionist and indicate you're there to be seen for flu-like symptoms, you may be asked to wear a mask. Wearing a mask will minimize the risk of passing the flu on to other patients and staff in the clinic. If I get sick with H1N1, how long should I stay home? People with flu-like illness should remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Protect yourself and your family from H1N1 and seasonal flu We encourage you to take these steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from H1N1 (swine) influenza and seasonal flu. Wash your hands often to protect yourself from germs. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have a tissue available, cough into your sleeve instead of your hand. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Stay home when you are sick – at least 24 hours after you are free of fever. Monitor your symptoms to make sure they do not get worse. Back to top. Source: Allina Medical Clinic; Minnesota Department of Health; Centers for Disease Control (CDC) First published: 04/30/2009 Last updated: 10/30/2009 Reviewed by: Cindy Larson, infection preventionist, Mercy Hospital; Allina Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Council

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