Winchester, Mass. – There has been a lot of attention in the media about seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu). Winchester Hospital is taking an active approach to preventing the spread of flu by recommending the following infection prevention strategies:

• Eat right and get enough rest.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Avoid any person who is coughing, sneezing or has a respiratory illness.
• Don’t go to work and don’t send children to school with symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying home and limiting contact with others until fever free (off medication) for 24 hours.
• Wash hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer or wipes, especially when in public.

In the U.S., we are seeing an earlier spike of individuals with influenza-like illness than in previous influenza seasons, with symptoms including sudden fever, aches and pains, headache, chills, sore throat, sudden dizziness, cough, head and lung congestion, fatigue and diarrhea/nausea.

Immunization is the No. 1 way to protect yourself and your family. There are two vaccines to consider this flu season: the seasonal vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. While the distribution of seasonal influenza vaccines is slightly delayed due to production requirements for the H1N1 vaccine, no extended shortage is projected by the state at this time.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that the following groups should receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine first: pregnant women; caregivers of children younger than 6 months old; health care and emergency medical services personnel; everyone between 6 months and 24 years old; and people 25 through 64 years old who have health conditions associated with a higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
The ACIP recommends that the following groups get the seasonal vaccine each year: children between 6 months and 19 years old; pregnant women; people 50 and older; those with certain chronic medical conditions; people living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities; and those who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from the flu.

Certain high-risk groups should call their health care provider when influenza-like symptoms occur: children younger than 5, but especially younger than 2 years old; people 65 or older; pregnant women; and people who have cancer, blood disorders (including sickle cell disease), chronic lung disease (including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), diabetes, heart disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, neurological disorders (including nervous system, brain or spinal cord), neuromuscular disorders (including muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis) and weakened immune systems (including those with AIDS).

Children with any of the following emergency warning signs of flu should go to the emergency room: fast breathing or trouble breathing; bluish skin color; not drinking enough fluids; not waking up or interacting; irritability and not wanting to be held; fever with a rash; and flu-like symptoms that improve before returning with a fever and worse cough.

Adults with any of the following emergency warning signs of flu should go to the emergency room: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen; sudden dizziness; confusion; and severe or persistent vomiting.

Winchester Hospital remains in contact with the Department of Public Health and will keep the public informed as new information becomes available.

About Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital is the first community hospital in Massachusetts to earn Magnet recognition, the American Nurses Association’s highest honor for nursing excellence. As the northwest suburban Boston area’s leading provider of comprehensive health care services, the 229-bed facility provides care in general, bariatric and vascular surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, rehabilitation, radiation oncology, pain management, obstetrics/gynecology and a Level IIB Special Care Nursery. Winchester Hospital has clinical affiliations with several nationally recognized hospitals in the region, including Children’s Hospital Boston, Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. To learn more, visit www.winchesterhospital.org.