Swine Flu 5 Top Tips

Today, I braced myself as I turned on the computer to head to the CDC website for the latest updates. As a mother, I didn’t want to read about another mother’s tragedy and heartache. As most of us, working in the trenches, had feared, the worst had happened. A 23 month old toddler from Mexico, died in Texas from the Swine Flu. 

As a nurse, and as a mother, you hope this will never happen, that somehow, everyone will recover, and that if it’s just detected soon enough, the deadly consequences can be avoided. Sadly the most vulnerable among us are often the most likely to have severe consequences from a serious infection like Swine flu. 

I was just thinking about this yesterday, while checking on one of my patients who’s in a nursing home. The elderly and the young are usually the people who are more likely to have severe illness from the flu, develop a pneumonia and perhaps die. 

Last year, over 36,000 people died from complications from the flu, that’s over 100 people each day, with the majority being the very weakest people whose immune systems were compromised. Among the 36,000 were 86 children under 5. 

Currently, according to the CDC, 91 people in the US have confirmed case of the Swine Flu, H1N1, which is a type of the Influenza A flu virus. There are currently 5 people hospitalized, among them a 19 month old in New York. 

We are all worried about the threat to our families and ourselves, and when that happens, people may panic and take actions that don’t make sense.

Here are 5 things you can do today, right now to keep yourself and your family safe: 

• Wash your hands frequently 
• If you have any symptoms of the flu such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, body aches, vomiting or diarrhea, be in touch with your health care provider for testing and treatment
• If you’re sick, by all means STAY HOME. Don’t go to school, work or get on a plane. 
• If you’re sick, keep the family home too. This particular virus is considered contagious 1 day before symptoms show up and up to 7 days after people feel better. 
• If you notice that someone is sick, stay away from them, wash your hands if you come into contact with them and encourage them to get tested and treated quickly.  

Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies. 

Open up your medicine cabinet and make sure you have what you need for the family: 

• Tylenol (acetominophen) 
• Advil, Aleve, Motrin or other Non-Steroidal, Non Aspirin Anti-Inflammatory
• medication
• Cough Medicine 
• Tissues 
• Alcohol based hand cleaners 
• Throat lozenges
  

Important Note: Do not give children under the age of 5 Aspirin or products containing aspirin as this can lead to Reye’s Syndrome.

Comments

[carla wetherill]

Excelent information! Thank you!