Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare flu recommendations
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare is continuing to monitor the 2010 H1N1 influenza situation. If you suspect you may have the flu, stay home and call your primary care physician. Do not come to the hospital or to the emergency department unless you believe you have an emergency. If you have flu symptoms but don't have a primary care physician, please call Wheaton Direct at 1-888-9-WHEATON (1-888-994-3286 ) or go to Find a Doctor.
For information about the public H1N1 flu vaccine clinics, please call the Milwaukee Health Department hotline at 211.
If you have a Wheaton Franciscan Group physician, please contact the physician office to see if the H1N1 vaccine is available. To see who is eligible, please click here.
Visiting Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare
- Please do not visit patients in the hospital if you have flu symptoms.
- When a patient is hospitalized with influenza, it is strongly recommended that visitors are limited to those necessary for the patient's well being and care.
What do you do if you think that you are infected?
- Stay home unless seeking medical attention.
- Get rest and drink plenty of fluids.
- Children and teenagers may take acetaminophen (Tylenol) but they are never to take Aspirin. Children over 6 months may also take Ibuprofen.
- Call your physician for assistance. He or she may consider prescribing a medication called an antiviral which comes in a liquid, pill, or inhaled powder for some patients with certain health risk factors. This medicine works best if given within two days of getting sick.
- Come to an emergency facility only if you need it. Examples of emergency warning signs in children include fast breathing, trouble breathing, bluish or gray skin, not drinking enough fluids, severe or persistent vomiting, not waking or not interacting, being so irritable that child does not want to be held. In adults, emergency warning signs are shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, and severe or persistent vomiting.
What can you do to stay healthy?
- Wash your hands often and use soap and water. Scrub for 15-20 seconds. If water is not available then you can use hand sanitizers which you rub on hands until dry.
- Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. Throw the tissue away after use and wash your hands. If a tissue is not available cough or sneeze into your elbow not your hands to help stop the spread of viruses.
- Typical household disinfectants will work to treat surfaces in the home and school or work.
Influenza symptoms
- Fever*
- Headache
- Extreme tiredness
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults
* Definition of fever does vary among different expert sources. For health care workers, a fever is define as 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher; for patients it is often defined as 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit in many communications from the CDC
H1N1 and seasonal influenza have similar symptoms. Most people who get the flu will recover without seeking medical advice or attention, but contact your physician immediately or seek immediate medical care if these WARNING SIGNS occur:
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In children -- fast breathing, trouble breathing, bluish or gray skin, not drinking enough fluids, severe or persistent vomiting, not waking or not interacting, being so irritable that child does not want to be held.
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In adults---shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, and severe or persistent vomiting.
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If you had cold-like symptoms and seemed to be getting better but suddenly got much more ill.
The spread of the illness is via respiratory droplets. Persons are contagious 1 day before symptoms to 7 days after the onset of illness. Children may shed virus for longer periods of time.
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Flu Resources
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