Swine Flu (Influenza H1N1) and Pandemic Flu Kits

Swine flu spreads through coughing and sneezing by others infected. Most people have had the normal flu several times in their life, and the symptoms are similar in either case: a fever of over 100 degrees farenheit, chills, stuffy nose, coughing, sore throat, aching body, tiredness. There are some differences however with H1N1 flu.

In children, signs that indicate an emergent medical trip include difficulty breathing, acute vomiting, lethargy or not waking up, severe irritability, not drinking enough liquids, bluish or grayish skin tone, flu symptoms that decrease and then return with a worse cough and fever.

For adults, urgent medical symptoms include difficulty breathing, pressure in the chest or stomach, pain in those areas also, dizziness, confused thinking, acute vomiting, and again flu symptoms that decrease and then return with a more severe cough and a fever.

HINI flu. This is a respiratory disease and is a type of flu virus that occurs frequently in pigs. It is not a normal year that humans contract swine flu, but it can result in a human infection and this year definitely has. This is because it is a new form of the virus. It has two genes from flu viruses that are typically in pigs in certain parts of the world. At this time, there is no population of pigs in the U.S. that are showing an infection of this virus. The H1N1 was found in a herd of pigs in Alberta, Canada which are now quarantined. Do not be concerned however about contracting this virus from eating pork. It is not distributed through food, but is a respiratory disease. I realize Egypt slaughtered all their pigs, but they are the only country that has done this, at least that has been broadcast.

Pandemic flu is one in which there is minimal immunity in one’s body, and therefore the disease spreads quickly from person to person. There is no pandemic flu at this time. Pandemic flu is a typically caused from a new flu virus. Pandemic flu results in a global spread of acute illness with huge populations becoming ill from the disease. At this time, the H1N1 virus is being observed and monitored carefully as to how the virus is spreading.

Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that is spread from person to person, there is a vaccine for it, and people normally have some degree of immunity to this flu.
Precautions: have plenty of Kleenex on hand to cough and sneeze into and throw out your used Kleenex rather than leaving it around for germs to spread. Wash hands with soap, use sanitizers when you’re not near soap and water, and tell people at work to head for home if they are showing symptoms of this flu.

So what’s the big deal about swine flu compared to the other influenza that goes around? As in any flu, other medical conditions you might have can in combination become more dangerous to your system. For example, heart disease patients are more susceptible to having medical concerns heightened by the flu. With H1N1 flu, those with pre-existing respiratory problems are definitely more vulnerable to this flu virus.

Having a flu shot will not protect your from swine influenza, otherwise there would be lineups of people waiting for their vaccination. There is an anti-viral drug for swine flu that can be administered by a physician, but usually the symptoms need to be fresh – within two days prior to having the drug. Health care departments are administering this anti-viral drug to the most acutely ill and those who have to be in close quarters with them who are more susceptible to infection.

Who is more at risk of contracting swine flu? Children under five, pregnant women, and older people over age 65, as well as those with chronic medical problems.

So what do you do if you are having to be at work and dealing with various people who have may have symptoms? Hospitals have the gear ready for their staff, and for those who have to visit patients in the hospital, they are making them don gowns, masks, gloves, the works. Great. However, there are many occupations that involve working with a population that cannot be avoided. I’m not thinking just police forces and prisons, but schools, women’s shelters where women and children are having to stay, homeless shelters, food banks where meals are served to the public during the week, Child and Family Services departments in which child protection workers cannot avoid having to deal with children, especially the ones dealing with crisis units at night and during on-call. Humanitarian workers are dealing with a huge number of people in their efforts to provide practical relief. Working in orphanages in other countries, and then regular day cares in developed countries. There are just so many occupations where some staff are not going to be able to avoid being exposed.

When to wear a mask? For those have flu symptoms and have to go into a public location, facemasks should be worn to reduce the spread of the flu from coughing or sneezing. Facemasks or respirators should be used when coming into contact with a person who has the flu. So homecare aides and lots of the occupations listed above, should have a flu kit with them.

The difference between a facemask and a respirator is the following: a facemask is disposable and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as medical equipment. There are several forms of facemasks with difference degrees of protection from body fluids. A respirator in this case, is an N95 facepiece or one with even more filtering capability then that, and certified by NIOSH, which is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the U.S.

The Pandemic Flu kit includes the following:
- impervious gown (1)
- goggles (1)
- FDA-approved pandemic flu respirators (2)
- nitrile gloves (2 pairs)
- antimicrobial wipes (10)
- antiseptic hand gel (1)
- tissue packs (2)
- biohazard waste bags (2)
The mask in this kit or an N95 respirator are recommended by the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.