Protect Yourselves & Others from Influenza

by Alison Huck-Skrepneck

This time last year we heard a lot about influenza and the H1N1 virus and what we could do to stop its spread. Memories of last year are fading, but we now commonly see hand sanitizers, hand washing reminders, and posters about protecting ourselves from influenza. We need to continue to practice simple behaviours in our daily lives and teach our children throughout the year, including the upcoming influenza season, how to prevent the spread of germs and disease that can make ourselves, our family and others sick.

Steps you and your children can take to prevent the spread of influenza
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw it in the garbage right away. Covering your mouth and nose will prevent viruses from spreading in the air. Remember to wash your hands immediately afterwards.

• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. If you cough into your hands the virus can spread easily through any item you touch.

• Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. You can become sick if you touch a surface covered with germs and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

• Clean your hands often with soap or warm water, or a gel or alcohol-based hand cleanser. Washing your hands often will protect you and others from getting sick. Hands should be washed for a minimum of 10 to 20 seconds. To help children wash long enough, say the ABCs or sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” while washing.

• Stay home if you are sick and get plenty of rest.  Staying home will reduce your contact with others and help prevent spreading the virus to them.

• Get immunized with the influenza vaccine. The influenza vaccine is available for infants and toddlers six to 23 months of age and their families, people with certain medical conditions and their household contacts, those over 65 years of age, child and health care workers, aboriginal peoples, and people who are very obese (those with a body mass index of 40 or greater). Watch for information about influenza clinics in your area.

• Keep your immune system healthy by getting plenty of rest, being physically active and eating healthy foods.

What is influenza and how is it spread?
Influenza, often called the flu, is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by the influenza virus. A person with influenza is at risk of other infections, including viral or bacterial pneumonia (infection of the lungs). Influenza spreads easily when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus in the cough/sneeze droplets can be passed to the next person by landing on them or on hard surfaces like counters and doorknobs, where it can be picked up on hands and spread to the respiratory system by touching the mouth, nose or eyes. This is why it is really important to wash your hands often.

What are the symptoms of influenza?
Influenza symptoms can include:

• fever
• headache
• muscle pain
• runny nose
• sore throat
• extreme tiredness
• cough

Children may also experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Although colds and other viruses may cause similar symptoms, those due to the influenza virus tend to be worse.

Symptoms can start about one to four days, or an average of two days, after a person is in contact with the influenza virus. Fever and other symptoms may last up to seven to 10 days, with the cough and weakness lasting up to two more weeks.

What you can do if you or your children do get sick with influenza
• Stay home from work or school while you are sick.

• Get lots of rest. Bed rest will also help you avoid spreading the virus to others.

• Take an age-appropriate pain reliever for fever or body aches. ASA or Aspirin should NOT be given to anyone under 20 years of age due to the risk of Reye Syndrome.

• Drink lots of extra fluids to replace those lost from fever.

• Avoid smoking and breathing other people’s smoke.

• Breathe moist air from a hot shower or from a sink filled with hot water to help clear a stuffy nose.

• See your doctor if you or your child have symptoms that get worse, such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chest pain or signs of dehydration (dizziness when standing, low urine output).

• If you believe that you have a condition that puts you at higher risk for complications, see your doctor early if you develop flu-like symptoms. Anti-influenza drugs or antivirals will shorten the symptoms if they are started soon enough. They are available by prescription only.

For more information about influenza
• For non-emergency health information and services in B.C., visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1
• For information on hand washing for parents and children, visit www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile85.stm
• For information on influenza, visit  www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile12b.stm
• For information about the influenza vaccine and who qualifies, visit www.viha.ca
• For immunization information, visit www.ImmunizeBC.ca

We hope you and your family stay healthy during the upcoming influenza season!

Alison Huck-Skrepneck is an Immunization Clinician with Central and North Island Child, Youth and Family Community Health, Vancouver Island Health Authority.