The Flu is Here

It's flu season again and your healthcare providers at the Lompoc Valley Medical Center have recommended a few simple things that you can do to protect yourself and others from getting sick:

• Wash your hands frequently to stop the spread of germs.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough – use a tissue or your sleeve, not your hand.
• Stay home when you are sick, ideally in a private room, and avoid contact with other people (even family members) as much as possible.
• Avoid public transportation, air travel, and crowded public places when you are ill.
• Stay isolated for 7 days, or until you feel well. Children may need to be isolated longer before they go back to school or play with friends.
• Keep your hands out of your mouth, eyes and nose.
• Use disinfectant cleaner to clean commonly used surfaces in your home.
• Be sure to get the seasonal flu shot each year.

H1N1 or Swine Flu

Symptoms of H1N1 mirror those of seasonal influenza and may include fever with body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you suspect you have the illness, contact your personal physician or a health care advice line first (888-SBCoFlu; 888-722-6358;), before going to a hospital emergency room. Your health care provider will determine whether examination, influenza testing or treatment is needed, or whether you are better off resting at home.

Remember that many illnesses, including H1N1, can be unintentionally transmitted from person to person in crowded public places. A busy ER waiting room is a prime location for picking up and passing on germs – so avoid it unless a medical emergency is present.

Patients should use the following warning signs to help determine whether their illness requires emergency care. Go directly to the emergency department if you are ill and experience any of these symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Severe or persistent vomiting or inability to retain liquids

Children who have any of the following signs should be taken to the emergency department:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or interacting with parents
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

The main points are: to protect yourself and others from the spread of the flu make sure to wash your hands often, avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes and cough or sneeze into a Kleenex or your sleeve and not into your hand or the open air. Get vaccinated.

If you are already sick, remember the 5 S’s of flu prevention: Stop the Spread of illness by Staying home until Symptoms Subside.

Get plenty of rest; drink lots of fluids and wash your hands frequently.

Together we can keep our community healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flu