All about H1N1

The global outbreak of H1N1 influenza has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, but to date its impact has been relatively mild, and so far H1N1's impact in Canada has been significantly milder than that of regular seasonal influenza.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 70% of hospitalizations in the U.S. have been people with such underlying conditions. However, there is some evidence that H1N1, like previous strains of pandemic influenza, can also cause serious illness in some otherwise healthy children and young adults.

If you think you may have H1N1 symptoms and aren't sure what to do, consult this decision chart produced by Quebec's Ministry of Health.

Symptoms:

The following symptoms require immediate medical attention:

Other symptoms may include:

Groups at higher risk:

Note: “High-risk” doesn’t mean you’re at higher risk of getting sick, but that you have a higher chance of developing complications if you contract H1N1.

Pregnancy

According to Quebec's Ministry of Health and Social Services, pregnant women are at no greater risk of catching H1N1 than the rest of the population. However, pregnant women who do catch H1N1 run a greater risk of developing complications. This does not mean they will necessarily be affected more than others, but that on average, H1N1 is more severe in pregnant women. As such, pregnant women should be sure to carefully apply all necessary preventive measures.

As a precaution, it is recommended that pregnant women see their doctor to discuss flu prevention. Of course, as soon as flu-like symptoms appear, you should seek medical advice. The doctor will determine the best treatment, including whether you need antivirals like oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®).

If you are exposed

1. Check your temperature every morning for the first seven days after your exposure. If it rises above 37.5˚C (99.5˚F), or if you experience other symptoms, call Info-Santé at 811. If you are a McGill student, call Student Health at 514-398-6017. In either case, ask to speak to a nurse, who can help you determine if medical attention is required.
2. If the nurse advises you to stay home, you should:
   • stay at home and avoid contact with others until you no longer have symptoms
   • wash your hands frequently
   • cough and sneeze into tissues or your sleeve (not your hands).
3. If you have an underlying chronic medical condition or are pregnant and are unable to reach anyone at Info-Santé or Student Health, seek care at a local clinic or emergency room.
4. Once you feel better, you can return to your normal activities. But remember: if you had an infection other than H1N1 influenza (a cold, for instance) you are still at risk of H1N1 infection, and should continue to take precautions.

Caring for an H1N1 patient in your home

1. Keep the sick person in a room separate from the common areas of the house. Keep the door closed.
2. Remind the sick person to cover their coughs and clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing.
3. Avoid face-to-face contact with the sick person.
4. When holding a small child who is sick, place his/her chin on your shoulder so that the child will not cough in your face.
5. Unless necessary for medical care or other urgent business, people with flu-like symptoms should stay home and minimize contact with others for 7 days after their symptoms begin, or until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Children, especially younger children, may be contagious for longer periods.
6. Have everyone in the household clean their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Children may need reminders or help keeping their hands clean
7. Have the sick person wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – if they need to be in a common area of the house near other people, or if they must absolutely leave the house .
8. If possible, sick people should use a separate bathroom. This bathroom should be cleaned daily with household disinfectant.
9. Ask your health care provider if people in contact with the sick person — particularly those who may be pregnant or have chronic health conditions — should take antiviral medications such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) preventatively.
10. If you are in a high risk group for complications from influenza, try to stay at least 1.8 metres (approximately 6 feet) from household members who are sick. If close contact with a sick individual is unavoidable, consider wearing a facemask or respirator, if available and tolerable. If at all possible, infants should not be cared for by sick family members.