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Pandemic H1N1Stop the Spread

Public Health Services – Disease Control Department

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Pandemic H1N1

Disease Control DepartmentPublic Health Services

Saskatoon Health Region

#101 – 310 Idylwyld Drive

Saskatoon, SK

655-4612

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When We Are Finished You Will:• Know What Influenza Is (Section 1, Page 5)

• Know How Influenza is Spread, Tested &Treated (Section 2, Page 13)

• Be Aware of How to Stop the Spread ofInfluenza & Protect Yourself(Section 3, Page 25)

• Know How to Protect Employees in theWorkplace-Plan Ahead (Section 4, Page 42)

• Be Aware of Influenza Resources(Section 5, Page 48)

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Information Overloadon Influenza

H1N1

Influenza

FlushotSeasonal

influenza

HumanSwine

FluH1N1

PandemicInfluenzaImmunization

for seasonalinfluenza andH1N1

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Section 1

Know What Influenza Is

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Knowledge Can BeYour Best Defense

• All colds and flu, including the H1N1flu virus are spread the same way

• Understanding how they are spread= Understanding how to stop thespread

• Knowledge can be your bestdefense

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What is the Seasonal Influenza?

Respiratory illness caused by a virus thatchanges in a minor way each year

Different strains of virus cause varyingdegrees of illness that range from mild tosevere

Normally have seasonal influenzaNovember to March in North America

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What is Pandemic Influenza?

Occurs when virus has majorchanges and most people will haveno immunity to the virus

Spreads easily

Causes a widespread epidemic orpandemic – involving manycountries

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ReassortmentLeads to Pandemic H1N1

Migratory waterbirds (Avian)

“Mixing vessel”

Source: WHO/WPRO(Swine)

(Human)

•Avian + Swine + Human=Pandemic H1N1

•New strain that humans are not immune to

•New strain appeared spring 2009

•Spread rapidly around the world

(pandemic)

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Influenza Pandemics –20th Century

Credit: US National Museum of Health and Medicine

1918: “Spanish Flu”

20-40 million deaths

A(H1N1)

1957: “Asian Flu”

1-4 million deaths

A(H2N2)

1968: “Hong Kong Flu”

1-4 million deaths

A(H3N2)

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A Different Influenza Year

This year a new strain of influenzavirus has developed and iscirculating

New virus is Pandemic H1N1

2nd wave of the pandemicexpected to occur in fall 2009

1st wave of illness was spring 2009

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Influenza Symptoms Sudden onset of fever and cough May also have some or all of following:

• Fatigue• Muscle aches joint pain• Sore throat• Headache• Decreased appetite• Runny nose• Nausea• Vomiting• Diarrhea• Weakness• Chills• Most severe symptoms 4 – 6 days, but cough and fatigue

may be much longer

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Section 2

Know How Influenza isSpread, Tested for and

Treated

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How is Influenza Spread?

Droplets filled with virus forced frommouth/nose with coughing/sneezing– travel 2 meters

Droplets get into your eyes, nose ormouth and cause illness

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How Does Influenza Spread?

Direct person to person contact

(cough/sneeze droplets enter eyes,nose, mouth)

Contact with contaminated object• Hard surface lives 24 - 48 hours

• Cloth/paper lives 8 -12 hours

• Warm hands lives 5 minutes

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Pandemic H1N1

What Do We Know?

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About the Illness

Research is constantly being done on thisnew virus. To date believed to:

• Be infectious 1 day before onset of symptomsand for 7 days after onset of symptoms

• Be most infectious in first few days of illness

• Take 2-7 days to develop symptoms afterexposure to the virus

• Cause most severe symptoms for 4 – 6 days,but cough and fatigue may be much longer

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How Serious is Pandemic H1N1?

Most illness in Saskatchewan andCanada mild to moderate

Severity can range from mild tosevere

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How Serious is H1N1 Influenza?

People with the following medicalconditions may be at risk for more severeillness and complications:

• Chronic lung disease

• Heart disease

• Diabetes

• Asthma

• Immune deficiency

• Pregnancy – 2nd and 3rd trimester

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Treatment

You do not necessarily need to seea doctor if:

• your influenza-like symptoms are mild tomoderate with no complications

• you are otherwise healthy (nounderlying medical conditions)

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Treatment

You should see a doctor if you areexperiencing:

• Difficulty breathing

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea

• Fever (may not be prominent)

• Children: Severe tiredness

• Confusion or difficulty waking

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Treatment

You should see a a doctor if youhave influenza-like illness and thefollowing medical conditions:• Chronic heart or lung conditions• Diabetes• Asthma• Immune deficiency• Pregnancy

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Antiviral Medication Free of charge if prescribed

Reduces symptoms, shortens length ofillness, and reduces risk of complications

To be started within 48 hours of onset ofsymptoms

Your doctor will determine if you needantiviral medication. Those at increasedmedical risk are more likely to needantiviral medication

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Testing

You may not be tested as physicians andlab have guidelines as to who should gettested

Need to avoid lab being overwhelmed

If tested, it is a nasopharyngeal swabtaken from the nose and back of throat

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Section 3

Be Aware of How to Stopthe Spread of Influenza

and Protect Yourself

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What Can I Do to Stopthe Spread of Influenza?

Protect yourself and others!

1. Wash hands frequently or use analcohol-based sanitizer

2. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve oruse each tissue once only

3. Stay home if you are ill

4. Clean surfaces often

5. Get immunized

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Hand Washing

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Hand Washing

A simple and effective way to prevent illness

Key to preventing spread of infection

Washes away germs that can make you ill

Soap loosens dirt that can harbour germs, waterwashes them away

If hand washing not readily available use:– alcohol hand gel – at least 60% alcohol.

Hand gel does not work when hands are obviouslysoiled.

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Hand Washing

Do it often and correctly especially:

• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose

• After touching your eyes, nose or mouth

• After smoking or touching anything with salivaon it

• After using the washroom

• After being in contact with an ill person

• More often when someone in your home is ill

• After coming home from a public place

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Most Effective Ways toWash Hands

• Remove jewellery (jewellery harbours germs)• Wet hands with warm water• Use liquid soap if possible and build lather• Scrub all surfaces of hands including backs of hands, wrists,

between fingers and under fingernails• Scrub for 15- 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing Happy

Birthday song))• Rinse hands in warm, running water• Dry with paper towel• Turn off tap with towel• Avoid use of common towels• Avoid use of standing basin of water• If soap and water are not available, use hand gel containing

60% alcohol

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Cough Etiquette

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Cough Etiquette –Protect Yourself and Others

Coughs

And

Sneezes

Spread

Diseases

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Cough Etiquette –Protect Yourself and Others

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Cough Etiquette –Protect Yourself and Others

Avoid ill people - Stay more than 2 meters away

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Stay Home IfYou Are ill

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Stay Home If You Are ill Stay home if having influenza-like

symptoms

Stay home until symptoms are gone or 7days from onset of illness

Most contagious during first few days ofobvious influenza-like illness, but mayspread influenza until symptoms areresolved

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Surface Cleaning

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Surface Cleaning

Virus can survive for 48 hours on hardsurfaces

Clean and disinfect frequentlytouched surfaces twice daily

Regular cleaning products can beused

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Immunization

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Immunization

Immunization for H1N1 InfluenzaVaccine will begin as soon asvaccine arrives

Refer to: www.4FLU.ca

or call

655-4FLU (4358)

For clinic dates and locations

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Section 4

Protecting Employees inthe Workplace –

Plan Ahead

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Early Identification of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI)

Provide staff with information on recognizingsymptoms

Establish means to track and report ILI illness

Report absenteeism from ILI more than10% toMedical Health Officer at 655-4612

Ensure that infection control measures are inplace

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Isolation of People with ILIFrom Workplace

Anyone with ILI symptoms should beencouraged to self isolate at homeand limit contact with others untilsymptoms resolve or until 7 days afteronset of illness

Provide staff with information on howto take care of themselves, visit:

www.fightflu.ca

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Cough/Sneeze Etiquetteand Hand Hygiene

Encourage cough etiquette and handhygiene in the workplace

Post signs as reminders

Ensure wash stations are well supplied

Ensure tissues and waste baskets areavailable

Consider alcohol-based hand sanitizer fortimes when hand washing is not available

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Surface Cleaning

Clean and disinfect commonlytouched surfaces at least twice daily

• Focus on surfaces such as door knobs,light switches, sink taps, hand rails andkeyboards

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Stop the Spread of H1N1

1. Wash hands frequently or use analcohol-based sanitizer

2. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve oruse each tissue once only

3. Stay home if you are ill

4. Clean surfaces often

5. Get immunized

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Section 5

Be Aware of

Influenza Resources

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For further information,visit the following websites

www.health.gov.sk.ca (Saskatchewan Ministry of Health)

• Up-to-date guidance for community settings

(e.g. workplace, childcare, schools)

www.phac.gc.ca (Public Health Agency of Canada)

www.fightflu.ca (Health Canada)

www.4flu.ca (Saskatoon Health region)

www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca (Saskatoon HealthRegion)

www.health.gov.ca/healthline-online (Health Line)

Websites are updated frequently

as new information becomes available