Article archived: March, 2010
No one looks forward to flu season. Aches, chills, fever, a runny nose — flu symptoms are inconvenient and uncomfortable. And this year's flu season is especially troublesome, as side effects can become quite serious, or require hospitalization.
So what can you do to fight the flu? Get the facts, know the risks, learn the symptoms, and protect yourself.
Click below for a list of store locations offering the H1N1 vaccine.
2009-2010 flu season facts
- Like every other year, the 2009-2010 flu season is characterized by outbreaks of Influenza A virus. However, this season is causing people extra worry; the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza virus has caused a global outbreak of flu (or a pandemic), according to the World Health Organization.
- Both H1N1 flu virus and seasonal flu virus are expected to infect people this year. Individuals infected by H1N1 are at higher risk for complications and secondary infections.
- The Centers for Disease Control reports that all cases of flu sub-typed as Influenza A (or seasonal flu) tested positive for the H1N1 flu virus, whereas the common flu, Influenza B, does not test positive for H1N1.
- According to the CDC and the UPMC Center for Biosecurity in Baltimore, H1N1 flu has been documented in all 50 states and all U.S. territories. For all affected regions, influenza-like-illness (ILI) levels are higher than average.
Who's at risk?
"Healthy young adults and children under age 25 seem to be at highest risk for pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome from H1N1," says Dr. Charles W. Mackett, Associate Professor and Executive Vice Chair in the Department of Family Medicine at UPMC. Infants and toddlers ages 0-4 are at the highest risk of hospitalization.
Dr. Mackett, who is also a member of UPMC's Influenza Task Force, says that non-H1N1 flu, or "seasonal flu," is often worse in the elderly, infants, people with suppressed immune systems, and people with chronic conditions such as asthma or diabetes.
What are the symptoms of the flu?
H1N1 and seasonal flu share symptoms. These symptoms include:
- A fever between 102°F and 106°F
- Fever with chills or flushing
- Fatigue or muscle aches
- Nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite
- Low energy
- Respiratory symptoms several days after the onset of infection — including dry cough, runny nose, and sore throat
According to the National Institutes of Health, possible complications of the flu include pneumonia, brain infection, bronchitis, and sinus or ear infection.
How do I protect myself?
Dr. Marian Michaels, Professor of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, recommends the following precautions for avoiding — and beating — the flu:
- Get a regular flu shot and an H1N1 flu shot if possible. "The vaccines come in two forms; a nasal mist, which is made with a live weakened virus, and a shot form which is a killed virus," says Dr. Michaels. "Both are safe." Dr. Michaels adds that seasonal flu might last well into 2010, so if you haven't gotten a flu shot yet, it's definitely not too late.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Cover your mouth or nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then, throw the tissue away. If you don't have a tissue handy, cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm so you don't contaminate your hands or other surfaces.
- "Teach your children good, healthy practices such as hand washing and 'cough and sneeze etiquette,' " advises Dr. Michaels.
- If you are sick, stay home from school or work so you don't infect others.
- To recover, drink plenty of fluids and treat your fever with acetaminophen.
For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/general_info.htm, or call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).
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