Frequently Asked Questions

Seasonal flu viruses have been circulating in human populations for several seasons, allowing people to build up immunities to them. Most people do not yet have immunity to the H1N1 flu. A vaccine is available to prevent seasonal flu. A vaccine for novel H1N1 flu has been developed and is currently being distributed.

Novel H1N1 flu is a respiratory illness thought to spread in the same way that seasonal flu is spread, which is through people infected with the virus who are coughing or sneezing. It can be spread by touching something with flu viruses on it, such as a tissue or a door knob, and then touching your mouth, eyes, or nose.

You can protect yourself from the H1N1 flu by washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water. You also can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Stay away from people who are sick (especially if they have fever, cough and a sore throat). Get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious foods.

Almost all people in Texas with confirmed novel H1N1 flu have had a sudden onset of fever (half having a temperature greater than 102.5oF) and cough. Most have had a sore throat. Other symptoms may include runny nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.

Adults •Difficulty breathing •Purple or blue discoloration of the lips •Vomiting and unable to keep liquids down •Signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry •Seizures or uncontrolled convulsions •Loss of consciousness •Alteration in thinking Children •Fast breathing or trouble breathing •Bluish or gray skin color •Not drinking enough fluids •Not waking up or not interacting •Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held •Flu-like symptoms that improve then return with fever and worse cough •Fever with a rash IF SEVERE SYMPTOMS DEVELOP, CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. IF THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IS NOT AVAILABLE, GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

Stay home if you get sick and limit close contact with others. Remain at home until your fever has been gone for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medications. If you work in a hospital or other healthcare setting around people at high risk of complications from flu, stay home for 7 days after symptoms began or until your symptoms are gone, whichever is longer. If you are at risk for complications of influenza, call your health care provider. Follow your provider’s advice. If you have mild symptoms, do not call your health care provider or visit the hospital emergency room. Get plenty of rest, drink fluids, take fever reducing medications if needed. WARNING. DO NOT give aspirin or aspirin-containing medications to children and youth 18 years and younger.

•Children younger than 5 years old (under 2 years are especially vulnerable) •Pregnant women •People with certain chronic medical conditions including chronic lung problems such as asthma, heart, liver, blood, nervous system, muscular, or metabolic disorders such as diabetes •People who have immunodeficiency or immuno-suppression, including that caused by medications such as corticosteroids and chemotherapy, or diseases such as HIV/AIDS •Children ages 6 months to 18 years who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection •Persons 50 years old or older, particularly 65 years or older •People who live in settings such as nursing homes, residential schools, and jails.

Your health care provider will make the decision as to whether you should be tested. Most people do not need to be tested as it will not make a difference in how you are treated.

A vaccine for H1N1 flu has been developed and is currently being distributed. The seasonal flu vaccine does not provide protection against H1N1 flu but is important in protecting you from other flu viruses that can make you as sick or sicker. It is currently available. This year you need to get vaccinated for both seasonal flu and H1N1 flu.

DSHS recommends that the novel H1N1 flu vaccine be made available first to the following groups which are most likely to get the flu, have complications from flu, and/or play a key role in caring for people with flu (order of target groups does not indicate priority). •Pregnant women •Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than six months of age •Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel •All peoples six months through 24 years of age •Persons aged 25 to 64 years of age who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza disease

Adults and children 10 years old and older = 1 one dose. Children 9 and younger = 2 doses 4 weeks apart

Call your health care provider about the need for medication. People at risk of complications from flu may be prescribed antiviral medication. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses and should not be requested. Most people will need only fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen. WARNING. DO NOT give aspirin or aspirin-containing medications to children and youth 18 years and younger.

If you are sick, stay home unless you have a doctor’s appointment. Avoid being around other people because you can give the illness to others. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue away. Or cough and sneeze into your sleeve. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer. Be sure to do this after coughing or sneezing.

When providing care to a household member who is sick with influenza, protect yourself and others by. •Keeping the sick person away from other people as much as possible •Reminding the sick person to cover their coughs, and clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing. •Reminding everyone in the household to clean their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub •Asking your healthcare provider if household contacts of the sick person – particularly those contacts who may have chronic health conditions – should take antiviral medications such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) to prevent the flu.

The CDC has announced that they are no longer recommending that schools close. If the situation changes, local independent school districts will notify parents, students, and teachers through the local news media, just as they do for weather closures. Students should not be around each other when schools are closed or they may catch the flu from their friends.

Anyone with symptoms of a respiratory illness should stay home and avoid close contact with others. Consult your employer for employment specific policy.