You may have the flu if you have some or all of these symptoms:

• fever *
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• body aches
• headache
• chills
• fatigue
• sometimes diarrhea and vomiting

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you get sick with flu-like symptoms this flu season, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Most people with 2009 H1N1 have had mild illness and have not needed medical care or antiviral drugs and the same is true of seasonal flu.

However, some people are more likely to get flu complications and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms this season. They are

• children younger than five, but especially children younger than two years old;
• people 65 and older;
• pregnant women;
• people who have any of the following health problems:
• cancer
• blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)
• chronic lung disease [including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]
• diabetes
• heart disease
• kidney disorders
• liver disorders
• neurological disorders (including nervous system, brain or spinal cord)
• neuromuscular disorders (including muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis)
• weakened immune systems (including people with AIDS)

Also, it’s possible for healthy people to develop severe illness from the flu, so anyone concerned about illness should consult a health care provider.

There are emergency warning signs. Anyone who has them should get medical care right away.

What are the emergency warning signs?

Do I need to go the emergency room if I am only a little sick?

No. The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill. If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, you should go to the emergency room. If you get sick with flu symptoms and are at high risk of flu complications or you are concerned about your illness, call your healthcare provider for advice. If you go to the emergency room and you are not sick with the flu, you may catch it from people who do have it.

Are there medicines to treat 2009 H1N1?

Yes. There are drugs your doctor may prescribe for treating both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 called “antiviral drugs.” These drugs can make you better faster and may also prevent serious complications. This flu season, antiviral drugs are being used mainly to treat people who are very sick, such as people who need to be hospitalized, and to treat sick people who are more likely to get serious flu complications. Your healthcare provider will decide whether antiviral drugs are needed to treat your illness. Remember, most people with 2009 H1N1 have had mild illness and have not needed medical care or antiviral drugs, and the same is true of seasonal flu.

How long should I stay home if I’m sick?

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventation (CDC) recommends that you stay home for at least twenty-four hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other things you have to do and no one else can do for you. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®.) You should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

What should I do while I’m sick?

Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making them sick.CDC has information on “Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home” on its Web site at cdc.gov.

Go to the CDC web site for further information, we are monitoring the CDC Web site daily for the latest developments and for the latest recommendations. If you must leave home, for example to get medical care, wear a facemask if you have one, or cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. And wash your hands often to keep from spreading flu to others.
 
Wear masks if you are sick and you have to leave your home to prevent others from getting your illness. Cover your mouth when you cough, or cough into your sleeve if you do not have a tissue. Wash your hands frequently. When you are in our office let us know immedaitely if you have flu-like illness so we may give you a mask. Leave the mask on the entire time you are in the building—this includes the pharmacy next door or going to the Robin's Nest. Again this is to prevent our workers from getting sick so we can continue to serve you when you need us.