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Information about the Flu
– Including the new H1N1 Flu –
for People with Certain Medical Conditions
CS204781
U.S. Department of HealtH anD HUman ServiceS
cs  Dss c d p
 
Preparing for Flu Season
 
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For More Information, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu 
People with certain health conditions may acespecial medical challenges during fu season.These health conditions include:
•Pregnancy•Cancer•Blooddisorders(includingsicklecelldisease)•Chroniclungdisease[includingasthmaorchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD)]•Diabetes•Heartdisease•Kidneydisorders•Liverdisorders•Neurologicaldisorders(includingnervoussystem,brainorspinalcord)•Neuromusculardisorders(includingmusculardystrophyandmultiplesclerosis)•Peoplewithweakenedimmunesystems(includingpeoplewithAIDSorthosewhoarereceivingchemotherapy)It’simportanttorememberthatpeoplewhohaveoneormoreoftheconditionslistedabovecanhaveamoresevereillnessfromanyinuenzainfection,includingillnesswiththenewH1N1virus.Unlessyourhealthcareprovidersaysnotto,keeptakingyourmedicationevenifyoubecomesickwiththeu.Ifyouhaveoneofthesehealthconditionsandyoudevelopu-likesymptoms,contactyourhealthcareproviderorseekmedicalcare.Flu-likesymptoms(includingthesymptomsofthenewH1N1u)includefever,cough,sorethroat,runnyorstuffynose,bodyaches,headache,chillsandfatigue.Somepeoplealsomayhavevomitinganddiarrhea.Peoplemaybeinfectedwiththeu,including2009H1N1,andhaverespiratorysymptomswithoutafever.
I you have one o the health conditions listed,during a fu outbreak you should:
•Seekmedicalattentionifyouhaveafeverandsymptomsoftheu.•Limitcontactwithcrowdsandavoidcrowdedplaces.Ifyoucan’tavoidcrowdedsettings,considerwearingafacemaskorrespiratortodecreaseyourchancesofgettinginfected.Becarefulnottotouchyourfaceandwashyourhandsoften.•Itisestimatedthatstayingatleastsixfeetawayfromapersonwhosneezesorcoughsmaybeasafedistance.•Talkwithyourdoctorabouthavingatwo-weeksupplyofmedication.•Keepthename,phonenumber,andofceaddressofyourdoctororhealthcareproviderwithyouatalltimes.Findoutthebestwaytocommunicatewithyourdoctor.•Getawrittenrecordofthekindofchronicdisease(s)youhaveandthetreatmentyouarereceiving.Keepthisinformationwithyouatalltimes.•Prepareatypedorprintedlistofallmedicationsusuallytakenandthetimesofdaytheyaretaken.Alsoincludenecessarymedicalsuppliesorequipmentsuchassyringes,strips,lancetsifyouhavediabetes,oroxygenifyouhaveCOPD.•Determinehowyouwillaccessongoingmedicalcaresuchaschemotherapyorradiationtherapy.Askyourhealthcareprovideriftheyhaveaplantodealwithasevereuoutbreak(includingnewH1N1u).•Ifyouusemedicationsforyourcondition,continuetakingitevenifyoubecomesickwiththeu,unlessyourdoctororhealthcareprovidersaysotherwise.•Bealerttochangesinyourbreathing,especiallyifyouhaveheartfailure,congestiveheartdiseaseorCOPD.Promptlyreportchangestoyourdoctororhealthcareprovider.•Informfamilymembersorclosefriendsofyourmedicalcondition.
Anewandverydifferentinuenzaviruscalled“2009H1N1”uhasemergedandiscausingillnessinpeopleworldwide.ScientistsbelievethenewH1N1viruswillcauseillness,hospitalstaysanddeathsintheUnitedStatesoverthecomingmonths.ThisuseasonmaybemoreseverethanusualbecauseofthenewH1N1virus.Thismeansthatmorepeoplemaybecomesickandmorepeoplemaygetseriouslysick.Also,regularseasonaluviruseswillcontinuetospreadandcauseillnesstoo.
 
Protect Yourself 
WhatcanIdotoprotectmyselffromgettingsick?
For More Information, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu 
 
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Take time to get vaccinated.
•CDCrecommendsayearlyseasonaluvaccineastherstandmostimportantstepinprotectingagainstseasonalu.Whiletherearemanydifferentuviruses,theseasonaluvaccineprotectsagainstthethreeuvirusesresearchindicateswillbemostcommon.Thevaccinecanprotectyoufromgettingsickfromthesethreevirusesoritcanmakeyourillnessmilderifyougetauvirusthatisrelatedtothoseinthevaccine.•AseasonalvaccinewillnotprotectyouagainstthenewH1N1u.ThisnewH1N1virusisverydifferentfromtheseasonalvirusesintheseasonaluvaccine.•AvaccineagainstthenewH1N1virusisbeingproducedandwillbeavailableinthecomingmonthsasanoptionforpeopleathighriskofseriouscomplicationsfrominfectionwiththenewH1N1virus.
Take everyday preventive actions.
•Coveryournoseandmouthwithatissuewhenyoucoughorsneezetokeepfromspreadinguvirusestoothers.Throwthetissueinthetrashafteryouuseit.•Washyourhandsoftenwithsoapandwater.Ifsoapandwaterarenotavailable,useanalcohol-basedhandrub.*•Avoidtouchingyoureyes,noseormouth.Germsspreadthisway.•Avoidclosecontactwithsickpeople.•Ifyouaresickwithu-likeillness,CDCrecommendsthatyoustayhomeforatleast24hoursafteryourfeverisgone,excepttogetmedicalcareorforothernecessities.(Yourfevershouldbegonewithouttheuseofafever-reducingmedicine.)Afeverisdenedas100degreesFahrenheitor37.8degreesCelsius.Followthisrecommendationevenifyouaretakinguantiviraldrugs.•Whilesick,limitcontactwithotherstokeepfrominfectingthem.
Take antiviral drugs i your doctorrecommends them.
•IfyougetseasonalornewH1N1u,antiviraldrugscanbeusedfortreatment.Antiviraldrugsareprescriptionmedicines(pills,liquidoraninhaledpowder)thatghtagainsttheubykeepinguvirusesfromreproducinginyourbody.•Antiviraldrugscanmakeyourillnessmilderandmakeyoufeelbetterfaster.Theymayalsopreventseriousucomplications.•Thepriorityuseforantiviraldrugsthisseasonistotreatpeoplewhoareverysick(hospitalized)orpeoplewhoaresickwithu-likesymptomsandwhoareatincreasedriskofseriousucomplications,suchaspregnantwomen,youngchildren,people65andolderandpeoplewithchronichealthconditions.•Formaximumeffectiveness,antiviraldrugsshouldbetakenassoonaspossibleaftersymptomsbegin.
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