Treyfish
Moderator
Jim Gibson, Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, August 27, 2009
Don't wait until H1N1 influenza finds your family, says Vancouver Island Health Authority's chief medical health officer, Richard Stanwick. Start preparing now to reduce any impact on your family.
What's not known is when - and to what degree - the H1N1 pandemic will hit. The return to school could see a spike in flu cases ahead of the usual mid-winter flu season, according to Stanwick.
"Kids are the prime reason for the spread of a virus through the community," says Stanwick, both a pediatrician and epidemiologist.
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Coughing kids spread viruses among themselves and then take them home to potentially infect their parents. This is one argument for first immunizing school kids and their parents to stall the spread of H1N1. Usually, immunization programs first target the very old and very young, chronically ill, pregnant women and health care workers, he says.
"People who are sick need to stay home. You don't have to be there. Cemeteries are filled with irreplaceable people," Stanwick says. This not only applies to work or school, but family visits, playdates and community events.
Your family's best defence against H1N1 is to stay healthy, he says. This includes the obvious - eat right, get enough sleep and exercise. "If people need a reason to stop smoking, this is it," he adds.
The key to combating any flu is frequent hand-washing, Stanwick adds.
Viruses can last on an unwashed hand for minutes and hard surfaces for hours. Inadvertently touching your eyes or nose introduces the virus to your body.
Use soap and water or a hand sanitizer for 20 seconds - a good gauge is as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday, he says. Parents using, for example, public transit can carry alcohol gel packs or wipes when wall-sanitizers or soap and water are not handy.
Avoid coughing into the bare hand. Use a handkerchief. A better alternative, according to Stanwick, is coughing into the crook of your arm - an area less likely to be in contact with others or your own eyes or nose.
Now is the time to stockpile household cleaning supplies and a seven-day supply of non-perishable food, Stanwick says. Renew any prescriptions early.
There could be shortages during a flu crisis. Parents - sick themselves or home with a sick child - might be unable to leave the house to shop.
Further, he says, now is also the time to set up online banking to avoid unnecessary outings.
Plan for alternatives for child care, Stanwick says. Decide which working parent's medical plan is the most amenable to staying home with a sick family member. Also, if possible, arrange now with your employer to work from home to avoid exposure or to care for a family member.
Think twice before booking the family's spring break holiday, Stanwick says.
"It's a bit of a risk. We don't know how other countries will respond," he says.
In a virulent outbreak, other countries might close their borders or confine visitors to their hotels, Stanwick says. Buy cancellation insurance if booking a trip now for what could well be the height of the flu pandemic.
Ultimately, surviving the flu pandemic requires a "collective effort," he says. This means neighbours should plan ahead to assist each other as needed during a flu pandemic, as with any disaster such as an earthquake.
"It's your neighbour who's going to dig you out, not the fire and police," Stanwick says.
HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FLU
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- Wash hands often with soap and warm water or use a hand sanitizer.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
- Refrain from touching eyes and nose
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Get lots of sleep and regular exercise.
- Get an annual flu shot and an H1N1 one when available.
- Stay home if you are sick or feel unwell.
- Avoid crowds.
START BUYING NOW
- Non-perishable food items, such as canned or frozen soups, juices, fruits and vegetables, canned fish, crackers, peanut butter
- Household cleaning supplies, such as bleach or disinfectant, dishwashing soap and paper towels.
- Basic over-the-counter medications such as acetamino-phen (Tylenol or Tempra) for fever. No Aspirin for those under 19 years.
- Prescription medications (two to three months' supply, if possible).:tiphat:http://www.chtv.com/ch/cheknews/story.html?id=1936019&p=1