Influenza (also known as Flu)

Looking for H1N1 (aka Swine Flu) Information?

• (Flu) is a respiratory (lung) illness.
• The main symptoms of the flu are fever (100 º F or higher), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat and muscle aches.
• Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, can also occur but are more common in children than adults.

Types of Flu

• There are many strains of flu viruses.
• The two main types are A and B. However, most people hear about swine flu and avian flu which are mostly type A.
• H1N1 (aka Swine Flu) comes from pigs and Avian Flu comes from birds. Both types can sometimes make humans sick if a person has direct contact with an infected pig or bird.
• Flu strains are a public health concern when the virus changes so that a human can transmit it to another human.

Is flu contagious?

The flu is contagious and symptoms can start one to four days after you have been exposed. Most people are exposed when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or when a people touch something that has small droplets from a sick person’s cough or sneeze and they touch their eyes, nose or mouth. 

What can I do to prevent flu?

• If available, get a flu shot.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If water is not available then use a hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are taking care of someone who is sick, wash your hands and clean surfaces with a mild disinfectant such as a weak bleach solution – no more than ¼ of a cup of household bleach to one gallon of water.

What do I do if I get sick with the flu?

• Most healthy people recover from the flu without complications. If you get the flu :
• Stay home from work or school if you are feeling sick. If you think you have the flu, please wait 24 hours after your temperature has returned to normal before you go back to work or school.
• Get lots of rest, drink plenty of liquids, and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. (If you don’t have tissue cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm.
• There are over-the-counter (OTC) medications to relieve the symptoms of the flu (but never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, particularly fever).
• Remember that serious illness from the flu is more likely in certain groups of people including people 65 and older, pregnant women, people with certain chronic medical conditions and young children.
• Consult your doctor early on for the best treatment or call the toll-free Nurse Advice New Mexico Hotline at 877-725-2552.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the “stomach flu” and influenza  the same thing?

• NO, the flu is a respiratory (lung) illness. The main symptoms of the flu are fever (100 º F), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat and muscle aches. Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults.

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?

• No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

How can I tell if I have a cold or the flu?

• Only a doctor can diagnosis the flu but fever and headache are common in flu and rare with a cold.

Will antiviral medications  prevent the flu?

• NO, antiviral medication such as oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ® ); zanamivir (brand name Relenza ® ); amantadine (Symmetrel® , generic); and rimantadine (Flumadine® , generic) prevent the flu. Antiviral medications work after a person has become ill and work to shorten the time someone is ill or reduce the severity of the illness. They will NOT prevent the flu.

Can the flu vaccine give you the flu?

• No, the flu vaccine cannot cause the flu because the viruses in the vaccine are either killed or weakened which means they cannot cause infection.

Can the flu be spread on surfaces?

• Yes, Studies have shown that human influenza viruses generally can survive on surfaces for between 2 and 8 hours .

Links

• H1N1 Influenza (aka Swine Flu)
• H1N1 (Swine Flu) CDC website
• New Mexico H1N1 (Swine Flu) information
• Avian Flu CDC website
• H1N1 (Swine flu) Influenza information New Mexico Hotline 866-850-5893