Transcript Kane County Health Department

Flu Prevention Awareness Campaign
What is Influenza (the “flu”)?
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The flu is a contagious respiratory illness
caused by influenza viruses. It can cause
mild to severe illness, and at times can lead
to death.
Some people, such as the elderly, young
children, and people with certain health
conditions, are at high risk for
serious flu complication.
Flu Terms to Know
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Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that
circulates every year and can be transmitted person to
person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine
is available.
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Pandemic flu is a respiratory illness that makes people all
across the globe sick.
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H1N1 flu is a new influenza A virus that has never before
caused illness in humans. Because there
is little natural immunity, the disease can
spread easily from person to person.
Novel H1N1 Influenza
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In April 2009, people in the U.S. who caught the first
cases of human infection from H1N1 flu virus lived in
California and Texas. It spread to many places in the
U.S.
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On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization
(WHO) declared that a pandemic of novel H1N1 flu
was underway, because it had spread worldwide.
Seasonal Influenza
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Every year in the United States, on average:
– 5% to 20% of the population gets seasonal flu
– more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from
flu-related complications
– about 36,000 people die from seasonal flu-related
causes
– So, prevention of both seasonal AND H1N1 flu
is important!
Stopping the flu starts with you!
Symptoms of Influenza
H1N1 Flu
Seasonal Flu
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Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Body aches
Headache
Chills
Fatigue
Sometimes diarrhea and
vomiting
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All of the same symptoms
as seasonal flu…
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But diarrhea and vomiting
occurs more often - in
about 25% of the cases.
How is influenza spread?
Both seasonal and novel H1N1 influenza spread
mainly through respiratory droplets
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Touching respiratory droplets on yourself, another
person, or an object, then touching mucus
membranes (e.g., mouth, nose, eyes) without
washing hands
Preventing the Spread of the Flu
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3 C’s
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Cover Cough
Clean Hands
Contain Illness
Stay home when sick people with influenza-like illness
should remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free
of fever (100° F) or signs of a fever without the use fever-reducing
medications.
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Get Vaccinated!
C#1: Cover your Cough
1. Cover mouth/nose when sneezing or coughing
with tissue.
2. If no tissue, use elbow instead of hands
to cover mouth/nose.
3. Use tissue and dispose of appropriately.
4. Wash your hands with soap and water after contact
with respiratory secretions —use hand
sanitizer if necessary until you can wash.
C#2: Clean Your Hands
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Washing your hands frequently throughout your
day is prevention that helps stop the flu!
Before eating, cooking, after coughing/sneezing
always WASH your hands:
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Soap and warm water
Minimum of 20 seconds
(the time it takes to sing
“Happy Birthday” twice)
Use 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer
if necessary until you can wash with
soap and water.
C#3: Contain Your Illness
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If you get ill with flu-like symptoms—stay home. This
keeps others from being exposed to the virus.
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Avoid contact with others except to
get medical care.
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Don’t go back to work or school
until you have been free of fever for at least 24 hours
without using fever-reducing medications.
Do I need to go to the doctor
for flu-like symptoms?
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So far, most people have gotten only mild
illness and have not needed medical care
or anti-viral treatment for flu-like
symptoms.
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But, even healthy people can develop
severe illness from the flu, so if you have
any concerns, contact your doctor.
When should I go to the doctor?
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Some people are more likely than others to get flu
complications and should call their doctor for advice
if they have flu-like symptoms:
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Children under age 5—and especially under age 2
People age 65 or older
Pregnant women
People who have cancer, blood disorders, chronic lung
disease, diabetes, heart disease, kidney, liver, neurological,
or neuromuscular disorders, or a weakened
immune system.
When should I go to the
Emergency Room?
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Contact your doctor if you are concerned
about your symptoms.
Go to the ER only if you are very sick—not
for mild illness.
Emergency warning signs vary for children
and adults.
Emergency warning signs
for adults include:
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Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return
with fever and worse cough
Emergency warning signs
for children include:
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Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color (call 911 immediately)
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return
with fever and worse cough
Vaccination is the best prevention
against seasonal and H1N1 flu
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Vaccination against a flu virus builds a response in your
body that recognizes the flu virus
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Since your body is prepared against
the flu virus, your body’s immune
system is ready to fight the flu
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Seasonal flu vaccine does not
prepare your body to fight the H1N1 flu virus
—you need to get the H1N1 flu vaccine to
fight H1N1!
Stop the flu through vaccination
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Seasonal flu vaccine is already available now—so
get your seasonal flu shot as soon as possible!
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H1N1 flu vaccine will be coming in several
shipments in October, November, December.
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H1N1 flu vaccine will come in both
a nasal mist and an injection form.
Who should get a Seasonal
Influenza vaccine?
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People ages 50 and older
Pregnant women
Children ages 6 months-18 years old
Caregivers of children younger than 6 months
People who have chronic medical conditions that put
them at higher risk for influenza-related complications
Health care workers and people who live
with or care for those at high risk for
complications from flu
Who should get H1N1 flu vaccine?
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Based on H1N1 illness patterns, some people are at
higher risk of complications from H1N1 than others and
are in priority groups for H1N1 vaccine.
Therefore, as H1N1 vaccine first becomes available,
the people in priority Groups will be offered H1N1
vaccine first.
Eventually, everyone will be offered H1N1 vaccine, as
more becomes available.
What are the H1N1 priority groups to
receive vaccine first?
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Pregnant women
Persons who live with or provide care for infants
aged <6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and daycare
providers)
Health-care and emergency medical services
personnel
Persons aged 6 months - 24 years
Persons aged 25 - 64 years who have medical
conditions that put them at higher
risk for influenza-related complications
What type of H1N1 vaccination
will priority groups receive?
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All priority groups may receive H1N1
vaccination by injection.
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Some people in the priority groups can also
receive the nasal mist form of H1N1 vaccine:
healthy, non-pregnant people ages 2-49 in
the priority groups may receive the nasal
mist form of H1N1 vaccine.
How many doses of vaccine
are needed for H1N1?
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One dose of vaccine is needed for peoples
ages 10 and older.
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Two doses are needed for people younger
than 10 years old and should be given three
weeks apart.
Can people get both the
seasonal and H1N1 vaccine?
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People can receive both vaccines, even on
the same day, if they are in the risk group for
seasonal flu.
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Since seasonal flu vaccine is available right
now, people are encouraged to get
it now if they are in the seasonal
flu risk group.
Is the H1N1 vaccine safe?
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H1N1 vaccine prepared the same safe way that all seasonal flu
vaccines are prepared - the technology
is safe and proven.
The recent H1N1 vaccine trials tested how effective the vaccine
is so dose level and # can be determined.
The allergies and health factors that prevent people from
receiving seasonal flu remain the same for H1N1 flu
(Example: egg allergies)
Every person will be screened before
they receive H1N1 vaccine against these factors.
Where can I get a Flu Vaccine?
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Seasonal and H1N1 vaccine will be available in
many different places in Kane County
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Private doctor’s offices
Hospitals
Pharmacy chains
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Health Departments
How can I get the details of when
and where to get vaccine?
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The Kane County Health Department will post
locations, dates, and times for seasonal and
H1N1 vaccination available in Kane County at:
www.kanehealth.com
www.kanehealth.com will be updated on a
daily basis with information and resources to
assist families, businesses, schools, and
the community to prevent the flu.
Resources
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Kane County Health
Department
www.kanehealth.com
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Fluwikie
– www.fluwikie.com
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World Health Organization
Pandemic Flu
www.pandemicflu.gov
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Center for Disease Control
(CDC)
– www.cdc.gov
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1-800-CDC-INFO
www.who.int
Illinois Dept. of Public
Health
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www.idph.il.us