Dr. Eric Whitaker: Public forum and information
Dear Community Partners,
I am writing to share some basic information about H1N1 flu (swine flu), which has been generating a lot of attention in recent days.
Learning about the H1N1 virus
If you would like to learn more about this illness, you may wish to attend a free, public program on Wednesday, May 6, 5-6:30 p.m., at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Harper Center Room C25, 5807 S. Woodlawn. People who are feeling sick should stay home to avoid spreading their illness and should not attend this program. However, we will post a video of the program to our website at http://news.uchicago.edu/btn/swineflu.php on Thursday. Other sources of information about H1N1 flu are listed at the end of this message.
As of May 1, the Illinois Department of Public Health has identified 51 cases of “probable” H1N1 flu and 3 confirmed cases, including 17 cases (2 confirmed) in the City of Chicago. “Probable” means that the people who are sick most likely have H1N1 flu, according to preliminary tests, but the illness has not been confirmed yet by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Across the country, CDC has confirmed 141 cases of H1N1 flu.
H1N1 flu infections have been very serious in Mexico. Fortunately, most of cases in the United States so far have been fairly mild – about as serious as the normal flu that we see every winter. The symptoms of H1N1 flu are very similar to those of seasonal flu: fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, and in some instances, vomiting or diarrhea.
Ways to prevent transmission
One way to prevent the spread of the flu is to keep sick people at home until they are no longer contagious. Therefore, if you have mild symptoms of the flu, public health experts are asking you to remain at home, avoid contact with other people, and call your doctor for advice before going to a clinic or the emergency room for medical treatment. Mild cases of flu can be treated at home with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. However, you should get medical help right away if you are having trouble breathing or if you believe you are severely ill.
People with H1N1 flu are contagious for about 7 days after they become ill. However, they are also contagious for at least one day before they begin to feel sick. Since it is hard to tell who may be sick and who is not, the very best thing you can do to remain healthy is to wash your hands frequently, either with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. And if you are sick, you should always cover your nose and mouth with a tissue if you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve. People who visit health care providers for treatment and have flu symptoms may be asked to wear a mask to avoid spreading germs to other patients.
For those in need of care
If you have questions about H1N1 flu or would like advice on whether to seek treatment, you should contact your primary care doctor. The University of Chicago Medical Center has partnerships with a number of primary care providers and clinics as part of the South Side Healthcare Collaborative. A list of these clinics and their locations can be found on our website at http://www.uchospitals.edu/pdf/uch_019156.pdf. If you do not have a regular doctor and need medical advice about the flu, you are welcome to call or visit one of these clinics.
More information about H1N1 flu can be found at:
Centers for Disease Control, http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/general_info.htm
Illinois Emergency Management, http://ready.illinois.gov
University of Chicago swine flu webpage, http://news.uchicago.edu/btn/swineflu.php
Sincerely,
Dr. Eric E. Whitaker
Executive Vice President for Strategic Affiliations and Associate Dean for Community-Based Research, University of Chicago Medical Center