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Doctors Emphasize Tips To Avoid Spreading Flu
Feeling Ill? Doctors Say Stay Home, Get Fluids, Get Rest
POSTED: 12:11 am EDT October 20, 2009
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- New Hampshire's latest flu report doesn't show a major increase in flu cases, but individual doctor's offices have seen an increase in visits.Some doctor's offices told WMUR News 9 they haven't noticed an increase in flu cases at all while others said it's the most they've ever seen at this point in the year.
Doctors like Donald Salvatore, of Doctors Park Pediatrics in Manchester, said the flu is spreading."It has really picked up tremendously in the past week. We've started to see a lot of kids with typical flu-like symptoms, and a lot of them have the H1N1 infection," he said.Salvatore said no one is testing each case to confirm H1N1. The assumption is just that if the symptoms are there, the patient has it. He said the treatment is the same regardless of whether you have seasonal flu or H1N1."There's a few select people who would benefit from going on an antiviral medicine like the TAMIFLU, but for most people, it's just rest, fluids and just let the illness run its course," Salvatore said.
Dr. Deepak Sharma said his office in Salem, We Care Pediatrics, has yet to see an increase in H1N1 cases, but the office has taken many calls from people who claim to be sick.Sharma said that unless there's an underlying reason for those people to come in, his advice is to stay home and rest."We do advise them to stay at home and follow the instructions," Sharma said.Salvatore agreed, saying staying home is the best advice.Some things to look for that could that could indicate an illness is more severe include:
Some people insist on visiting the doctor anyway, and those people should be prepared."The waiting room is fuller than it would normally be at this time of year, but I think we're doing a good job of getting the patients in and seeing them in a timely manner," Salvatore said.All the doctors with whom WMUR News 9 spoke on Monday said it bears repeating that the best thing one can do to avoid getting the flu is to wash hands frequently. Then, if one gets sick, stay home to avoid spreading the illness.
Feeling Ill? Doctors Say Stay Home, Get Fluids, Get Rest
POSTED: 12:11 am EDT October 20, 2009
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- New Hampshire's latest flu report doesn't show a major increase in flu cases, but individual doctor's offices have seen an increase in visits.Some doctor's offices told WMUR News 9 they haven't noticed an increase in flu cases at all while others said it's the most they've ever seen at this point in the year.
Doctors like Donald Salvatore, of Doctors Park Pediatrics in Manchester, said the flu is spreading."It has really picked up tremendously in the past week. We've started to see a lot of kids with typical flu-like symptoms, and a lot of them have the H1N1 infection," he said.Salvatore said no one is testing each case to confirm H1N1. The assumption is just that if the symptoms are there, the patient has it. He said the treatment is the same regardless of whether you have seasonal flu or H1N1."There's a few select people who would benefit from going on an antiviral medicine like the TAMIFLU, but for most people, it's just rest, fluids and just let the illness run its course," Salvatore said.
Dr. Deepak Sharma said his office in Salem, We Care Pediatrics, has yet to see an increase in H1N1 cases, but the office has taken many calls from people who claim to be sick.Sharma said that unless there's an underlying reason for those people to come in, his advice is to stay home and rest."We do advise them to stay at home and follow the instructions," Sharma said.Salvatore agreed, saying staying home is the best advice.Some things to look for that could that could indicate an illness is more severe include:
- A fever that goes away but returns
- Shortness of breath
- A child who won't drink enough liquids
Some people insist on visiting the doctor anyway, and those people should be prepared."The waiting room is fuller than it would normally be at this time of year, but I think we're doing a good job of getting the patients in and seeing them in a timely manner," Salvatore said.All the doctors with whom WMUR News 9 spoke on Monday said it bears repeating that the best thing one can do to avoid getting the flu is to wash hands frequently. Then, if one gets sick, stay home to avoid spreading the illness.
