| Swine Flu |
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• H1N1 (swine flu) is a sickness that pigs can get and these germs that cause pigs to become ill can change over time to become a sickness that people can get and pass to each other. • Having good hygiene practices will not only help protect you during a flu pandemic, but will also keep you healthier in general. • You need to wash hands frequently. The correct way to wash hands is to rub them vigorously together for 20 seconds using soap and water. The hands pick up invisible little germs that can make people sick. The germs get inside when they touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Washing with soap and water gets rid of the germs before they can make you sick. Another option is to use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Sanitisers with at least 70% isopropyl alcohol or 60% ethyl alcohol are effective. Sanitisers have been installed around De La Salle College - so please use them! • Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues. The germs are caught in the tissue and can’t get out where they can make other people sick. You should throw the tissue into the bin or flush it away and then wash your hands. If you have no tissue, it is ok to sneeze or cough into your elbow, so your hands don’t get dirty and so the germs do not spread into the air. • Be careful not to get too close to others if you or they feel sick. • Practice good general health habits to help you stay healthy, like eating a balanced diet, exercising, and getting enough rest. How do I tell if I have swine flu? From: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Swineflu/DG_178075 • As swine flu spreads, it is important to be able to recognise its symptoms and know what to do if you think that you or your family might have it. • If the patient has a temperature of 38° C or above and they have any two of the following symptoms, then you should call your doctor straight away for advice. Some of the symptoms are:• tiredness • headache • runny nose and sneezing • sore throat • shortness of breath • loss of appetite • vomiting and diarrhoea • aching muscles, limb and joint pain • a sudden fever • a sudden cough• If you think that you have ‘Swine Flu’ it is important that you do not go to your GP’s surgery or A&E Department, but that you stay at home where, if necessary, you can be visited by a doctor. This is to prevent the spread of the virus How can I avoid catching it? • Maintaining good standards of basic hygiene for example washing hands frequently with soap and water • Carry alcohol-based hand gel sanitisers (eg. Carex) for when water isn’t available • USE the sanitisers that have been attached to the walls at key places around the school!• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing preferably with a tissue • Dispose quickly & carefully of used tissues • Cleaning hard surfaces (such as door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product If I think I have swine flu, what should I do? [Taken from www.boots.com & www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu ] • Stay at home • Avoid contact with other people to avoid spread of the flu • Treat the symptoms like any other cold or flu and get plenty of bed rest and drink plenty of fluids • Take Paracetamol to help control your temperature & over-the-counter cold and flu remedies. However, children under 16 must not be given aspirin or ready-made flu remedies containing aspirin. • Your GP will tell you whether you should also take antiviral drugs. Antivirals, such as Tamiflu, shorten the symptoms by about a day and can reduce the risk of complications. However, they can also have side effects. If the symptoms are mild, you may not wish to take antivirals. Your GP can advise you on this. Antivirals are only effective if taken within 48 hours of symptoms starting. The patient: • has a serious underlying illness • is pregnant • seems to get suddenly much worse • seems to be still getting worse after seven days for an adult or five days for a child. What else can I do? [Taken from: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemicflu/Pages/QA.aspx#diagnosed • There are some other useful actions you can take now to prepare in case swine flu becomes more widespread: • Set up a network of ‘flu friends’. Flu friends are neighbours, friends and relatives who can help you if you get ill. For example, they could collect medicines, food and other supplies for you, so that you don’t have to leave home. • Keep up to date with the latest information on swine flu by watching TV, listening to the radio, checking the internet and looking out for announcements in the press and follow public health advice and instructions. • Get a digital thermometer now if possible so that you can measure a patient’s temperature if you are worried that they could be suffering from a fever.Final Important Points: • If you have flu-like symptoms you must stay at home! • If a child develops flu-like symptoms at school, parents or carers will be contacted immediately and advised to take the child straight home and to call the doctor to seek further advice. The child will be placed in the medical room away from other children until the parent or carer arrives.• Remember the catch phrase: “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it!”• Parents, carers, children and teachers can be reassured that the vast majority of people with swine flu will have symptoms similar to seasonal flu and will make a full recovery. (Taken from: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/news-august-schools_-colleges-and-universities-will-reopen-as-normal_ ) For additional information: • Contact the Northern Ireland Swine Flu Helpline- 0800 0514 142 • More information can be obtained from various websites, including the following; • Health Protection Agency – www.hpa.org.uk • The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety – www.dhsspsni.gov.uk • http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/QA.aspx#diagnosed • The Department of Education - www.deni.gov.uk • Northern Ireland Direct – the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens – www.nidirect.gov.uk |