Avoiding the FluOctober 5, 2009 | David FordFor your health and safety and that of your family and friends in this current influenza environment, UNC Health Care is offering some tips on how to avoid it.
They encourage you to have your family immunized against both the seasonal and novel H1N1 flu. They also advise you to wash you hands frequently in order to prevent transmission of flu viruses. Finally, in addition, they are advising members of the public who are experiencing flu-like symptoms (fever, sore throat, chills, body aches) to do the following:
Please stay home from work or school until at least 24 hours after your fever has gone away.
If you are in a high-risk group and develop flu-like symptoms, please contact your primary care doctor for treatment.
They do not encourage going to a hospital Emergency Department to seek treatment for flu-like symptoms.
However, there are some circumstances in which a trip to the Emergency Department is warranted. If you have any of the following potentially life-threatening symptoms while battling the flu, immediately contact your health care provider or go to the closest Emergency Department: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, severe or persistent vomiting, flu symptoms that initially improve but then return with cough and fever. And finally, infants should be taken immediately to the Emergency Department if there is a bluish or gray skin color, lack of responsiveness, or extreme irritability.
More information on these flu guidelines and more:
http://www.unchealthcare.org/site/newsroom/h1n1info
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHISh559oho
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