H1N1 (SWINE) FLU

What is the H1N1/Swine Flu?

Swine Influenza is spread among pigs and is rarely transmitted to humans, though it can pass to humans through direct contact with pigs.  Once transmitted to humans Swine Flu can spread from person –to-person, like any Influenza virus.  You cannot contract H1N1 from ingesting pork products.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of H1N1?

Symptoms are similar to any other flu. Symptoms typically appear within one-to-four days of contact and include:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Body aches
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Sore Throat
  • A dry cough
  • Nausea and diarrhea (sometimes).

What preventive measures can I take?

While there is no reason to panic, it never hurts to be reminded of good preventative measures, which are similar to the prevention of other illnesses:

  • Wash hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth;
  • Avoid contact with sick people;
  • Cover nose and mouth with tissue when coughing and sneezing, and throw away the tissue;
  • Be mindful of touching things like: money, public door handles, atm buttons, computer keyboards.  Remember that germs and viruses can live on hard surfaces that are not sanitized, so be sure and sanitize your hands after contact with public objects.

Should I get vaccinated against 2009 H1N1 if I have had a flu-like illness since the spring of 2009?

The symptoms of influenza (flu-like illnesses) are similar to those caused by many other viruses.  Even when influenza viruses are causing large number of people to get sick, other viruses are also causing illnesses.  Specific testing, called an "RT-PR test" is needed in order to tell if an illness is caused by a specific influenza strain or by some other virus.  This test is dfferent from rapid flu tests that doctors can do in their offices.  Since most people with flu-like illnesses will not be tested with RT-PCR this season, the majority wil not know whether they have been infected with 2009 H1N1 flu or a different virus.

Therefore, if you were ill but do not know if you had 2009 H1N1 infection, you should get vaccinated, if your doctor recommends it.  So, most people recommended for 2009 H1N1 vaccination should be vaccinated wih the 2009 H1N1 vaccine regardless of whether they had a flu-like illness earier in the year.  If you have had 2009 H1N1 flu, as confirmed by an RT-PCR test, you should have some iunity against 2009 H1N1 flu and can choose not to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.  However, vaccination of a person with some existing immunity to the 2009 H1N1 virus will not be harmful.

Any immunity from 2009 H1N1 influenza infection or vaccination will not provide protection against seasonal influenza.  All people who want protection from seasonal flu should still get their seasonal influenza vaccine.

If I have the flu, should I avoid other people to prevent spreading it?

Please don′t leave you room or home until you are no longer contagious or unless you need medical care.  If your symptoms worsen, contact your physician, return to the student health center, or visit the local health care clinics or emergency rooms.  If you call 911, tell them you have influenza, so they too can take precautions.

Separate yourself as much as possible from roommates, classmates, and professors: try to maintain social distancing by keeping at least 6 feet away from others.  You can also use a face mask or a clean tissue to cover your mouth when you cough. Do not have visitors in your room and have meals brought to you from the RAT.  Also, do not go to class, games, movies or any other gatherings.

What do I do if my roommate has the flu?

To minimize the likelihood of spreading the flu, everyone in your room should wash his or her hands after contact with possibly contagious items, using soap and water for at least 15 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand cleanser.  Do not share dishes, forks, spoons, glasses, face masks, towels or bedding.  Wash your hands after handling exposed items.  Clean surfaces with lysol or a bleach solution daily.  All garbage used in caring for the sick person should be bagged and placed in a container with normal houshold waste.  Watch yourself and your roommates carefully for signs of the flu and seek medical care immediately.

Where can I get more information?

All of the information above was taken from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), http://www.cdc.gov/.

Also, please visit our Rhodes swine flu blog for up-to-date information about H1N1 on Rhodes campus, http://www.rhodescollege.info/blog/ and watch for emails about avaliability of flu vaccines.