Health officials believe that with school back in session a new surge of H1N1 cases will be reported. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following strategies for reducing the spread of illness:
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze OR cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
Put used tissues directly into a waste basket.
Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing.
Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds OR clean with an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish or gray skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
- 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
For more information, visit the CDC website.