What should I know about Influenza A (H1N1)?
What is the difference between Seasonal Flu and Influenza A (H1N1)?
| Seasonal Influenza | Influenza A (H1N1) |
|---|---|
| Human viral respiratory infection from known virus | New, previously unknown strain of human influenza virus |
| Self-limiting, but can be serious & fatal in the elderly & very young | Greater potential to cause increased illness & death worldwide |
| Causes an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 deaths every year | Greater potential to cause millions of deaths |
| Occurs seasonally every year | Rare event |
| Everyone is at risk for infection | Everyone is at risk for infection |
| Some people have previously developed immunity to the virus | Because it is a new virus, no one has developed immunity to it, so more people will become infected |
| Symptoms: Fever Cough Sore throat Runny or stuffy nose Body aches Headache Chills Fatigue | Symptoms: Fever Cough Sore throat Runny or stuffy nose Body aches Headache Chills Fatigue Diarrhea in some Vomiting in some |
| Routine vaccines are available | Vaccines can only be developed once virus is known |
Common Cold or Flu?
| Symptoms | Cold | Flu |
| Fever | Rare | Usual; high, >38 C; lasts 3-4 days |
| Headache | Rare | Common |
| Body aches | Slight | Usual; often severe |
| Fatigue, Weakness | Sometimes | Usual; can last up to 2-3 weeks |
| Exhaustion | Never | Usual; especially at the beginning of illness |
| Stuffy nose | Common | Sometimes |
| Sneezing | Usual | Sometimes |
| Sore throat | Common | Sometimes |
| Chest discomfort, Cough | Mild to moderate hacking cough | Common, can become severe |
What do I do if I get sick?
If you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:
- Stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds;
- Rest and take plenty of fluids; drink 1 glass of water or juice every hour;
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and, if using tissues, make sure you dispose of them carefully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and water or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub;
- If you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow;
- Use a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you are around others;
- Inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with other people;
- If possible, contact a health professional before traveling to a health facility to discuss whether a medical examination is necessary.
When should I be tested for the Influenza A (H1N1) Virus?
According to the Department of Health, only the following persons require laboratory testing for Influenza A (H1N1):
- Anyone with Influenza-Like Illness (fever > 38C, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting), who has traveled in the past 10 days to a country or locality with laboratory confirmed case/s of Influenza A (H1N1);
- Anyone with Influenza-Like Illness who has had close contact with a confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) case within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
Specimens can be collected at hospitals, but official referral centers are the RITM (8097599), San Lazaro Hospital (7323776), & Lung Center of the Philippines (9246101).
When should I go to the doctor?
Seek medical help if you have the following symptoms:
- Shortness of breath while resting or doing very little work
- Persistent fever for 4 or 5 days
- Painful or difficult breathing
- Coughing up a lot of phlegm or bloody sputum
- Wheezing
- You are feeling better and then you develop a new fever or worsening cough with sputum
- You feel very drowsy and others have difficulty waking you up or note you seem confused or disoriented
How do I protect myself and others?
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners can be used if soap and water are not available.
- Stay home if you are sick. If you have influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home for 7 days after symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Avoid handshaking, social kissing, and other social rituals that involve touching others
- Avoid touching surfaces that are likely to have been touched by others (door handles, stair railings, etc.)
- Disinfect commonly touched hard surfaces, such as work stations, counter tops, door knobs, and bathroom surfaces by wiping them down with a household disinfectant.
- Increase your body’s resistance: get adequate sleep, have a well-balanced diet, get physically active, drink plenty of fluids, and manage stress.
WORKPLACE GUIDELINES
What can employers do to protect their employees from Influenza A (H1N1)?
- Regularly provide information about Influenza A (H1N1), including its transmission, disease outcome, & treatment options to all employees
- Encourage sick workers to stay home and away from the workplace, and provide flexible leave policies.
- Encourage infection control practices in the workplace by displaying posters that address and remind workers about proper handwashing, respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette.
- Provide sufficient facilities for hand washing and alcohol-based (at least 60%) hand sanitizers (or wipes) in common workplace areas such as lobbies, corridors, and restrooms.
- Provide tissues, disinfectants, and disposable towels for employees to clean their work surfaces, as well as appropriate disposal receptacles for use by employees.
- Disinfect commonly touched hard surfaces in the workplace, such as telephones, computer equipment, work stations, counter tops, door knobs, and bathroom surfaces by with a household disinfectant.
When can employees do to reduce the spread of Influenza A(H1N1) in the workplace?
- Stay home if you are sick. If you have influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home for 7 days after symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners can be used if soap and water are not available.
- Try not to use other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools & equipment
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Avoid close contact with sick people
What do we do if an employee has flu-like symptoms?
- If person has symptoms of Influenza-Like Illness (fever > 38C AND cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting) put a surgical mask on worker immediately and put worker in isolation if possible.
- Contact the Company Physician or send patient to the nearest clinic or hospital for outpatient medical consult.
- If person is at high-risk of developing complications from influenza (age 60 years; has a chronic medical condition, eg. asthma, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, heart or kidney disease; is pregnant or immediately post-partum; is immuno-compromised, e.g. HIV/AIDS or organ transplant patient), send patient to the ER of the nearest hospital.
- Institute company health & safety measures, such as:
- Inform patient’s supervisor, HR department, & health personnel.
- Document event & patient information.
- Disinfect all commonly touched surfaces in the workplace, especially the patient’s work area.
- Inform employees to monitor themselves for symptoms and notify appropriate personnel in the event of illness.
- Monitor all workers’ health through absences, etc.
- Emphasize flu prevention guidelines, such as cough etiquette & hand hygiene.
- Contact the DOH Influenza A (H1N1) hotline: 711-1001.
What can we do to anticipate and respond to the impact of Influenza A (H1N1) on our operations?
- Identify essential employees, essential business functions, and other critical inputs (e.g. raw materials, suppliers, subcontractor services/products, and logistics) required to maintain business operations by location and function should there be disruption during the Influenza A (H1N1) flu outbreak.
- Make sure all employees are aware of what to do in case they or a fellow worker gets sick while in the workplace
- Determine who will be responsible for responding to ill individuals in the workplace, either through the on-site health clinic or as a first aid duty.
- Share your plans with employees and clearly communicate expectations.
- Implement business continuity plans if there is significant absenteeism in the workplace during this outbreak.
- Review your plan with regard to increases or decreases in demand for your products and/or services during the outbreak (e.g., the need for hygiene supplies).
- Establish an emergency communications plan. This plan includes identification of key contacts (with back-ups), chain of communications (including suppliers and customers), and processes for tracking and communicating business and employee status.
- Develop platforms (e.g. hotlines, dedicated websites) for communicating Influenza A (H1N1) flu status and company actions to employees, vendors, suppliers, and customers inside and outside the worksite in a consistent and timely way.
What can we do to anticipate and respond to the impact of Influenza A (H1N1) on our employees?
- Examine policies for leave and employee compensation and review with managers, supervisors, and employees so they are up-to-date on sick leave policies, leave donation, and employee assistance services that are covered under the different employee sponsored health plans. Leave policies should be flexible and non-punitive.
- Plan for the possibility of unscheduled leave that encourages employees who are sick to stay at home to care for themselves and others who are ill with the flu or children dismissed from school.
- Establish policies for flexible worksite (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), if needed.
- Communicate policies for employee access to and availability of health care, mental health, and social services including corporate and community resources.
MANAGING THE FLU AT HOME
I just found out I have flu-like symptoms. What do I do?
If you have fever > 38oC AND cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, or vomiting:
- Inform the people around you, such as your co-workers & your family, that you have flu-like symptoms.
- If a surgical mask is available, put it on. If not, make sure to cover your mouth & nose, especially when you cough or sneeze.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap & water, or with an alcohol-based cleanser.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, & mouth, and avoid contact with others.
- Seek medical consult.
The doctor said I can go home. What are the home treatment measures for the flu?
Whether it’s seasonal influenza or influenza A (H1N1), the following are things you can do at home to care for yourself:
- Measure your temperature regularly
- Rest & completely avoid rigorous exercise
- Drink plenty of fluids (a glass of water or juice every hour)
- Take paracetamol to reduce fever & relieve pain
- Gargle with warm water to ease a sore throat
- Use steam inhalation to help relieve a stuffed nose
When should influenza patients be hospitalized?
Although the management of the patient will still depend on the clinical judgment of the attending physician, there are certain patients who may need to be admitted for inpatient management.
Patients with Influenza-Like Illness who are at high risk for developing complications may be admitted to the hospital. These are patients with:
- Age 60 years
- Chronic medical condition (asthma, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, tuberculosis, etc)
- Pregnant or immediately post-partum
- Immuno-suppressed state (HIV/AIDS, cancer, organ transplant patients, etc).
Patients with Influenza-Like Illness who exhibit the following symptoms may also be admitted to the hospital:
- Shortness of breath while resting or doing very little work
- Persistent fever for 4 or 5 days
- Painful or difficult breathing
- Coughing up a lot of phlegm or bloody sputum
- Wheezing
- You are feeling better and then you develop a new fever or worsening cough with sputum
- You feel very drowsy and others have difficulty waking you up or note you seem confused or disoriented
If you experience any of these symptoms or are at high-risk for developing complications, go to the hospital immediately for further medical evaluation.
I am caring for someone at home with flu-like symptoms.
What should I do to control infection?
- Physically separate the patient from well persons living in the home as much as possible.
- Only the caregivers who are absolutely necessary should visit the sick person’s room. Wearing of masks for the caregiver may be helpful.
- The caregivers should always wash their hands thoroughly upon leaving the room
- Do not let the patient leave the home during the period when they are most likely to be infectious to others (i.e. 7 days from the onset of symptoms for adults, or until 24 – 48 hours after resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer). If absolutely necessary to go out, let the patient wear a mask if available, or cover his mouth & nose when coughing & sneezing.
- Well persons in the home should avoid close contact with the patient as much as possible.
- The patient’s used dishes & eating utensils should be washed with warm water & soap. Separation of the patient’s eating utensils is not necessary.
- When handling the patient’s used clothes & laundry, avoid “hugging” the patient’s laundry, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling soiled laundry. Separation of the patient’s laundry is not necessary, and it can be washed with regular detergent & water.
- Tissues used by the patient should be placed in a bag and disposed carefully with the other household waste. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the trash.
- Disinfect the patient’s room regularly, and regularly clean and disinfect the household as necessary.
When should I be tested for the Influenza A (H1N1) Virus?
According to the Department of Health, only the following persons require laboratory testing for Influenza A (H1N1):
- Anyone with Influenza-Like Illness (fever > 38C, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting), who has traveled in the past 10 days to a country or locality with laboratory confirmed case/s of Influenza A (H1N1);
- Anyone with Influenza-Like Illness who has had close contact with a confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) case within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
Specimens can be collected at hospitals, but official referral centers are the RITM (8097599), San Lazaro Hospital (7323776), & Lung Center of the Philippines (9246101).
I have flu-like symptoms. How do I keep myself from spreading the illness?
- Stay home if you are sick. If you have influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home for 7 days after symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and, if using tissues, make sure you dispose of them carefully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and water or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub.
- If you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow.
- Wash your hands often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners can be used if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Avoid handshaking, social kissing, and other social rituals that involve touching others
- Use a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you are around others
SELF QUARANTINE
What is self-quarantine?
Self-quarantine is a state of self enforced isolation which serves to control the spread of an infectious disease, in this case, that of the Influenza A (H1N1). This includes avoiding crowds, work, and school.
Who are recommended to undergo self-quarantine during the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic?
The Department of Health recommends that the following people, regardless of nationality, race, and age, to undergo self-quarantine:
- Any person with Influenza-Like Illness (fever > 38C, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting), who has traveled in the past 10 days to a country or locality with laboratory confirmed case/s of Influenza A (H1N1);
- Anyone with Influenza-Like Illness who has had close contact with a confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) case within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
How long should the period of self-quarantine be?
The Department of Health recommends the patient to stay home for seven (7) to ten (10) days.
I am most grateful to MEDICard staff for having consistently provided prompt and efficient service, thus making my yearly medical checkup more pleasant and comfortable. 
