People with Health Problems
Most people who get seasonal flu or novel H1N1 flu recover within a few days to two weeks. But others, especially those in high risk categories, face more serious complications such as pneumonia and even death.
Seasonal Flu High Risk Groups |
Novel H1N1 High Risk Groups |
| People over 65 years of age | Young adults 18 – 24 years of age. |
| Children younger than 2 years old | Children birth to 18 years of age |
| People of any age who have chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma, congestive heart failure, lung disease) | People ages 25-64 who have chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma, congestive heart failure, lung disease) |
| Pregnant women | Pregnant women |
If you or a loved one falls into one of these high risk categories, talk to your healthcare provider about getting the two flu vaccinations and other ways to stay healthy.
Symptoms of Novel H1N1 Flu and Seasonal Flu
Two types of contagious flu viruses are active in South Carolina this year — seasonal flu and novel H1N1 flu (swine flu). Both types can cause mild to severe respiratory illness and can even lead to death.
While the flu is different from the common cold, symptoms of seasonal flu and novel H1N1 flu are very similar. If you get the flu you will probably experience one or more of these symptoms about 48 to 72 hours after contact with the virus:
- Fever (usually high)
- Headache
- Extreme tiredness
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Occasionally, stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
See these CDC resources on people at risk for flu complications:
- 2009 H1N1 Flu Information for People with Disabilities and Their Caregivers or Personal Assistants
- People with Health Conditions and the Flu This resource includes guidelines for people with asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV-AIDS, and heart disease.
- Asthma and H1N1
- What Adults with HIV Infection Should Know About the Novel H1N1 Flu
- If You Have Diabetes, a Flu Shot Could Save Your Life (pdf)
- Guidance for People with Heart Disease, Stroke, or Cardiovascular Disease
Urgent Warning Signs
If these symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately:
In adults:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting.
In children:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash.
Take These Steps in a Flu Outbreak
- 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
- Keep the name, phone number, and office address of your doctor or health care provider with you at all times.
- If you use medications for your condition, continue taking those medications even if you become sick with the flu, 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
Flu Vaccines
Getting vaccinated is your best protection against seasonal and novel H1N1 flu.
People who are in greater danger of life-threatening health problems from novel H1N1 flu or seasonal flu, should get vaccinated as soon as possible. If you have a chronic health condition, this includes you.
To protect yourself from both strains of flu, you’ll need a separate vaccine for each. To learn where you can get seasonal flu and novel H1N1 flu vaccines in your community, see DHEC’s Flu Vaccine Clinic Finder.
The CDC also urges anyone who lives or works closely with an at-risk person to get vaccinated as soon as possible. So if you or a loved one has existing health problems, it’s a good idea for everyone in the home to be vaccinated for seasonal flu and novel H1N1 flu.
These Groups Need Flu Vaccines the Most
The CDC recommends that these groups get flu vaccines as soon as possible.
The list for seasonal flu is different from the list for novel H1N1 flu.
These People Should Get a Seasonal Flu Vaccine ASAP |
These People Should Get a Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Vaccine ASAP |
| Those age 50 and older | Pregnant women |
| Pregnant women | Household contacts and caregivers for babies younger than 6 months of age |
| Children 6 months to 18 years of age | Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel |
| People of any age who have chronic medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, lung disease) | All children from 6 months to 17 years of age |
| People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities | Young adults 18 to 24 years of age |
| People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu. | People 25 through 64 years of age who have health conditions that put them at higher risk of medical complications from flu. |
Get updates on vaccine availability in South Carolina, learn more about vaccine safety, and find a flu vaccine clinic in your local area.
Also see these CDC resources on flu vaccines:
- Flu Myths and Realities
- Priority Groups Recommended to Receive the H1N1 (Swine) Flu Vaccine
- 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Pregnant Women
- Vaccines and Immunizations for Pregnant Women
- General Questions and Answers on H1N1 Vaccine Safety
- General Questions and Answers on Thimerosal
- H1N1 Flu Vaccination Resources
- Children, the Flu, and the Flu Vaccine
Everyday Flu Prevention
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. Wash them for as long as it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Stay home if you are sick until you have been symptom-free without taking fever reducing medicine for 24 hours.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Eat a healthy diet, exercise and get plenty of rest.
Treating the Flu
Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, if you get the flu, see your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can give you antiviral medications to help you recover faster and lower your risk of passing the virus on to others.
If you’re caring for someone who has the flu:
- Never give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to children or teenagers who have the flu; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.
- Frequently wipe down commonly touched surfaces like stairway railings, telephones, and door handles. Other than that, follow your normal housekeeping routine.
- See the CDC’s information on taking care of a sick person in your home.
- Learn more about antiviral medications from the CSC’s H1N1 and Seasonal Flu: What You Should Know About Flu Antiviral Drugs.
Information on H1N1 Medicines from the Food and Drug Administration
- Zanamivir (Relenza) Fact Sheet for Patients and Parents (pdf)
- Tamiflu Fact Sheet for Patients and Parents (pdf)
- Informe De Zanamivir (Relenza) Para Pacientes Y Padres (pdf)
- Informe De Tamiflu Para Pacientes Y Padres (pdf)
Flu Information in Other Languages:
- American Sign Language Videos on Flu for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
- Flu.gov Multi-Language Fact Sheets in Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
If, after reading the information available here, you have questions about the 2009 H1N1 vaccine,
please call 1-800-27SHOTS (1-800-277-4687).
