H1N1 Flu and YOU

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H1N1 Flu and YOU
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To you and you and you and you

• Spread of novel H1N1 virus is thought to occur
  in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu
  viruses are spread mainly from person to person
  through coughing or sneezing by people with
  influenza. Sometimes people may become infected
  by touching something such as a surface or
  object with flu viruses on it and then touching
  their mouth or nose.

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Symptoms

• The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people
  include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or
  stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and
  fatigue. A significant number of people who have
  been infected with this virus also have reported
  diarrhea and vomiting. Severe illnesses and death
  has occurred as a result of illness associated
  with this virus.

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Is this Serious?

• Illness with the new H1N1 virus has ranged from
  mild to severe. While most people who have been
  sick have recovered without needing medical
  treatment, hospitalizations and deaths from
  infection with this virus have occurred.

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Whose at Risk?

• People 65 years and older, children younger than
  five years old, pregnant women, and people of any
  age with certain chronic medical conditions.
• About 70 percent of people who have been
  hospitalized with this novel H1N1 virus have had
  one or more medical conditions previously
  recognized as placing people at high risk of
  serious seasonal flu-related complications.

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How long are you contagious?

• People infected with seasonal and
• novel H1N1 flu shed virus and may
• be able to infect others from 1 day
• before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after.
• This can be longer in some people,
• especially children and people with
• weakened immune systems and in
• people infected with the new H1N1
• virus.

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Prevention and Treatment

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you
  cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash
  after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water,
  especially after you cough or sneeze.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs
  spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, It is
  recommended that you stay home for 24 hours after
  your fever is gone. Keep away from others as much
  as possible to keep from making others sick.

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Can household cleaning help prevent transmission?

• Yes. Studies have shown that the virus can live
  on a surface and can make a person sick for up to
  2-8 hours. To help prevent transmission, all hard
  surfaces, such as doorknobs, refrigerator door
  handles, telephones, and bathroom surfaces,
  should be washed with soap or detergent, rinsed
  with water and then disinfected and rinsed.

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Vaccinations

• At this time, there is no vaccine for novel H1N1
  influenza.
• You can receive a regular flu shot but it does
  not protect you from the novel H1N1 influenza.
• This makes the regular things you do to protect
  yourself from the flu, such as covering coughs
  and washing hands, all the more important.

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Learn more about H1N1

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  (CDC) www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu
• The World Health Organization (WHO)
  www.who.int/en
• Www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch

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• Submitted by Brittney Dullard,
• University of Connecticut