The Centers for Disease Control and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provide ongoing updates and advice related to Influenza A/H1N1 (swine flu). Following are just a few of these recommendations with links to their websites for additional information.
What You Can Do to Stay Healthy There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way. Try to avoid close contact with individuals who may be ill.
Symptoms of H1N1 You may have the flu if you have some or all of these symptoms:
Fever (but not everyone with flu will have a fever) Cough Sore throat Runny or stuffy nose Body aches Headache Chills Fatigue Sometimes, diarrhea and vomiting
If You Become Ill If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school, and limit contact with others, except to get medical care, if needed. If you don't have a tissue when you cough or sneeze, use your elbow instead of your hands to cover your mouth and nose. If you use a tissue when coughing or sneezing, throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often to keep from spreading flu to others.
If You Need to See a Provider Contact your health care provider if you're concerned about flu-like symptoms. If you do not have a regular doctor, consider contacting a Gunnison County Public Health. For serious symptoms, seek emergency care right away.
Contact your health care provider if you’re concerned about flu-like symptoms.
For serious symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care right away. Gunnison Valley Hospital is located at 711 N. Taylor Street in Gunnison, CO - 24-hour Emergency Room
Gunnison County Public Health 225 N Pine St Gunnison, CO 81230-2648 (970) 641-0209 www.gunnisoncounty.org
For more information, visit the CDC website: What to Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm
For more information, visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website: What to Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu www.cdphe.state.co.us/epr/h1n1.html
Gunnison County Public Health 10/19/09
Seasonal Flu Currently over 90% of all flu like illness is being caused by the H1N1 virus rather than than seasonal flu virus. Seasonal flu is expected to peak later in the year. Eventually everyone should be vaccinated against seasonal flu. We are expecting more seasonal flu vaccine to arrive throughout the months of October and November. Please call back for weekly updates to this message. What do we have currently? We have the injectable vaccine for youth aged 6 months through 35 months. We also have Seasonal Flu Mist for kids aged 2 years through 18 years old. Flu Mist is only for healthy people over 2 without chronic medical conditions such as asthma. Currently we do not have any seasonal flu vaccine for adults. We also do not have the injectable vaccine for youth aged 3 years to 18. We expect to receive more Seasonal Flu vaccine in the months to come. Please speak to the Public Health front desk for an appointment for the seasonal flu vaccine for your child. Press 1 for the front desk.
H1N1 We have begun to get the H1N1 vaccine in Gunnison County. We are receiving small amounts of vaccine weekly. Check Gunnison County Public Health recording for weekly updates by calling 970-641-0209. Due to limited supply of H1N1 vaccine we can currently vaccinate only certain priority groups of people.
H1N1 Flu Mist is available for the parents and caregivers of infants 5 months old and under, as well as all children aged 2 thru 4 years old.
However Flu Mist is only for healthy non-pregnant people aged 2 to 49 without chronic medical conditions such as asthma.
Health care providers with direct patient contact can receive their vaccine through Gunnison Valley Hospital.
On Wednesday October 21st from 9 – 11am Public Health will hold a H1N1 vaccination clinic at the Family Services Building at 225 N. Pine Street in Gunnison. It will be first come first serve for those people who fall into the categories mentioned above. There is no charge for the H1N1 vaccine.
For more information contact the CO – Help line at 1-877-462-2911 or the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu
Please check back for information regarding future clinics. We recognize the confusion around this and appreciate your understanding.
