Swine Flu: A/H1N1 influenza

Transcription

1 Swie Flu: A/H1N1 iflueza

2 What is swie flu? So-called swie flu (sometimes referred to as Mexica flu) is a ew strai of the iflueza virus, amely A/H1N1. Most people have o resistace to this virus ad as a result, may people are likely to become ifected. The virus has already spread across the world ad o 11 Jue 2009, the World Health Orgaisatio described it as a global epidemic, or pademic. However, this does ot mea that the disease has become much more serious, it oly refers to the geographic spread of the virus. The latest scietific research idicates that the swie flu virus does ot make people ay more ill tha classic seasoal flu. The biggest differece is that may more people, icludig healthy youg adults, are at risk of cotractig this virus. Trasmissio The virus is primarily trasmitted from perso to perso through the air. Someoe who has cotracted the virus is cotagious from 1 day before the symptoms appear util 7 days later. Trasmissio occurs by ihalig tiy ifected drops. These drops float through the air as a result of coughig, seezig or laughig. Direct cotact with these drops, with a ifected perso or with ifected objects (such as hadkerchiefs, cutlery, etc.) may also cause ifectio. Careful ad meticulous had ad mouth hygiee are essetial to reducig the risk of ifectio. Cliical picture ad symptoms The cliical picture is comparable to that of the ormal witer flu. The virus causes high fever of more tha 38 C, head ad muscle aches ad pais, joit aches ad pais, cough, diarrhoea, breathig difficulties, exhaustio, etc.

3 Prevetio: WASH YOUR HANDS! To help prevet ifectio, it is recommeded that you observe a umber of basic rules of hygiee, as you would to avoid cotractig witer flu as well: Avoid cotact with people who are visibly ill ad stay as far away from them as possible (at least 1 metre). Wash your hads regularly. Wash them wheever they are visibly dirty, before every meal ad after ay cotact with bodily fluids such as whe you blow your ose or use the toilet. - Use ruig water ad liquid soap. - Rub your hads together thoroughly for at least 15 secods, esurig that all parts of the hads are clea (palms, figertips, betwee the figers, etc.). - Rise both hads thoroughly with ruig water. - Preferably, dry your hads with a paper towel. - Close the tap with the paper towel. Blow your ose with a paper tissue ad throw it i a bi immediately after use. Whe you cough or seeze: - Cover your mouth ad ose with a paper tissue. - Throw the tissue i the bi immediately. - Always wash your hads thoroughly after coughig or seezig, to esure that you do ot trasmit germs to others. Avoid touchig your eyes, ose or mouth as much as possible. Germs are ofte spread whe people touch ifected objects ad the touch their eyes, ose or mouth. - Mouth masks do ot protect agaist ifectio ad are oly useful whe people who have already bee ifected wear them to avoid ifectig others These simple guidelies ca drastically reduce the spread ad cotagio of flu viruses. You ca help too!

4 The 7 DAY rule! What you should do if you are ifected or display iitial symptoms: If you are ill, stay as far as possible from others to avoid ifectig them (at least 1 metre). You will be cotagious for 7 days. Stay at home for 7 days; do ot atted lectures or ay other classes, semiars, etc. Avoid public places as much as possible, do ot use public trasport ad do ot go shoppig if you are ill. This will help to prevet the trasmissio of the virus. Cosult a doctor as soo as possible; K.U.Leuve has a Medical Cetre for Studets (tel.: ). We recommed that Belgia studets livig i studet housig retur to their family home for a full 7 days to recover. Iteratioal studets, o the other had, should ask the doctor what the best way is for them to recover, cosiderig their particular livig situatio. If they are able to do so, we suggest that iteratioal studets seek the help of a fellow studet who ca assist them with buyig groceries ad medicatio. If they are uable to do this, they may cotact the Social Services: tel.: Recovery Swie flu is ot a especially severe illess. As with witer flu, oe usually recovers spotaeously ad it suffices to rest sufficietly, to drik eough water, to eat healthily ad i more severe cases, to take fever medicatio or paikillers. The prevetive takig of ati-viral medicatio is strogly discouraged.

5 Vacciatio As of yet, o vacciatio is available for Swie flu. The vacciatio is beig developed ad is expected to be circulated as of November Whe the vacciatio does appear o the market, the govermet will be resposible for its distributio. We strogly recommed receivig a vacciatio agaist ormal witer flu. The Medical Cetre for Studets (tel.: ) will orgaise vacciatio sessios for this purpose at the ed of October. Swie flu (iflueza A/H1N1) at K.U.Leuve: The uiversity will cotiue to operate ormally uless a ew uiversity-wide guidelie is imposed or the govermet advises otherwise: lectures, practice sessios, studet cousellig sessios ad exams will take place as usual ad policy, admiistratio ad the cetral ad faculty services will cotiue to fuctio ormally as well. However, we would like to request your uderstadig for the fact that some services may be temporarily uderstaffed. Please also check Toledo ad the swie flu website regularly for the latest ews ad guidelies:

6 More iformatio If these websites do ot provide satisfactory aswers to your questios, please cotact: Iflueza call cetre: K.U.Leuve swie flu office, tel.: Source: