H1N1 101 - Understanding your risk

November 4, 7:51 PMPhoenix Women's Health ExaminerAngela Bowen

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There has been a lot of media coverage and controversy over the H1N1 strain of the Influenza A virus, which has reached pandemic status.  It is difficult to appreciate the risks and practice good preventative maintenance for yourself and your families without adequate information.

Stopping the Cold and Flu

The Symptoms

• Fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of energy

Less commonly

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea

When to seek Medical Attention

• Coughing is exhausting and persistent
• Coughing produces thick mucous
• High Fever (102 degrees or higher)
• Shaking chills
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath (even if you think it is from coughing)
• Worsening of a pre-existing medical condition
• 72 hours of moderate to severe symptoms
• Dehydration

How to Protect Yourself and Others

• Wash your hands every time you cough or sneeze or at least 10 times per day
• Use hand gels frequently between hand washing (do not use as substitute for hand washing!)
• If you are ill, stay home
• If you must go out in public, wear a mask to prevent spread
• If you are at a doctor's office or emergency room, insist all medical personal wash or sanitize hands in front of you before touching you or your loved one
• Drink plenty of water and eat a complete and healthy diet
• STOP SMOKING
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
• Do not take anti-flu drugs prematurely
• Avoid displays of affection (take up the fist bump instead of hugs and kisses and handshakes)

Those at Highest Risk

• Children under 4 years old
• Adults over 65 years old
• Pregnant women
• Health care workers with direct patient contact
• Retirement home residents
• Anyone with asthma, diabetes, pulmonary disease, chronic respiratory conditions, neurological disorders and immune function disorders/suppression

Priority Vaccination

• Children 6 months to 4 years of age (children under 6 months are too young for the vaccine)
• Caretakers of children under 6 months of age
• Children with Asthma or other chronic conditions
• Pregnant women
• Adults over 65
• Health care workers with direct patient contact

Presently, the H1N1 virus is behaving similarly to the seasonal flu virus as far as the rate of infection and death rate are concerned.  The issue most troubling about  this flu is illness occurring well before the normal flu season (which begins in Arizona in November and peaks in early spring, typically ending in April) at levels typically seen at season peak.  Youth are being hardest hit with the most sever cases as well, with children and adolescents accounting for 70% of confirmed cases of the H1N1 strain. 

Be vigilant with your health and that of your loved ones.  Even if you think you are well enough to be out and about, you are still potentially spreading your illness to those at highest risk and likely don't even know it.