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Swine Flu:
Information and Prevention Tips from Milton Hospital
A great deal has been reported in the media this week about swine flu. It is our responsibility as your community hospital to be vigilant and prepared, and to help keep the community informed.
Do I Need a Doctor?
Determining an Appropriate Level of Care for the H1N1 Virus
Reports about increases in school absences and shortages in vaccines signal that the H1N1 virus has become widespread in our region. The virus has begun to spark an influx of Emergency Department visits and urgent physician phone calls.
While the H1N1 virus can be serious, it is important to seek the appropriate level of care. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has developed some very useful guidelines to help you decide when to seek emergency care, when to call your doctor, and when the best treatment available may simply be at home.
When it comes to flu-like symptoms, the DPH recommends calling 911 for an emergency if someone:
· Is having trouble breathing (breathing is very fast, difficult, or painful)
· Is having chest pain
· Is confused or unaware of their surroundings
· Is unable to wake up
· Has changes in speech or speaks in a way you can't understand
· Can't walk or sit up
· Has skin that is bluish or gray in color
· Has a seizure (uncontrolled twitching or shaking)
· Has other unusual symptoms and feels the need for emergency medical attention
In some cases, non-urgent medical attention may be more appropriate. Rather than a trip to the Emergency Room, the DPH advises calling a doctor if someone:
· Has a fever that lasts more than three days
· Has a fever or cough that goes away for 24 hours or more and then returns
· Has a fever with a stiff neck, very bad headache, severe sore throats, earache or a rash
· Has less urine or dark urine
· Has green, brown-colored or bloody mucus that comes up when coughing
· Has severe vomiting or vomits for a long time
· Has difficulty drinking (or for infants, difficulty taking a bottle)
· Is very fussy or sleepy (for infants and children)
· Has any other unusual symptoms or concerns
· Has not gotten better after a week
If you decide to seek medical attention, please be aware of DPH guidelines concerning hospital visitors to protect patients from infection. If a visitor currently has flu symptoms, such as a fever, cough or sore throat, they are asked not to enter a hospital. Visitors must wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when entering and leaving a patient's room. As always, visitors should be sure to cough or sneeze into a tissue or inner elbow. Additionally, influenza patients in isolation may only receive visits that are deemed necessary for their emotional well-being and care.
The key in determining how to deal with flu-like symptoms this season is education about the virus. While symptoms overlap, H1N1 affects the respiratory system more heavily than a cold. If you have any serious preexisting health problems such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, it is important to call your doctor when the first flu symptoms appear as the flu could worsen these conditions. Be sure to take precautions, assess your symptoms thoughtfully and don't panic. And remember, while homemade chicken noodle soup may not cure every illness this winter, it can certainly lift your spirits!
Protect Yourself from the Flu
Symptoms of swine flu include fever, body aches, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, chills, fatigue and decreased appetite, and in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting.
According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, it is unlikely, but not fully known, if this year's flu vaccine will protect against swine flu.
To protect yourself from the spread of swine flu:
• Avoid close contact with others who are sick
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes.
• Clean things that are touched often, like door handles, telephones, computer equipment, etc.
• Stay home when you are sick.
If you arrive as a patient to the hospital with a cold, flu or respiratory illness:
• Please put on a mask to keep your illness from spreading to others.
Masks are available at the hospital.
• When you arrive in the clinical area in which you will be seen, please inform the front desk staff immediately about your cough and other symptoms.
• Please refrain from visiting patients at the hospital while you have a cold, flu or respiratory illness.
Click here to visit the Center for Disease Prevention and Control's website for the most up-to-date information.
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