Influenza Prevention

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Influenza Prevention

• We anticipate that there will be two types of
  influenza illness and influenza vaccines this
  year
• Seasonal influenza the usual flu that causes
  illness in fall and winter every year
• H1N1 Influenza a novel flu virus that began
  causing illness for the first time in April 2009
  

Do you plan to or have you already received
seasonal flu vaccine this year ?
NO
YES
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• The following presentation will take
  approximately 5 minutes to view
• You will be asked to answer a question at the end
  of the presentation

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Seasonal Influenza - what it is and how it
spreads

• Seasonal influenza causes illness in large
  numbers of people each year in fall and winter
• People with influenza illness usually have sudden
  onset of fever, body aches, tiredness, cough and
  sore throat.
• Influenza is easily spread from person to person
  by coughs and sneezes or by touching surfaces
  where the influenza germs were left by an ill
  person
• People with influenza can spread it to others
  starting 1 day before they feel sick and upto 5-7
  days after

You can spread influenza to others even if you
dont feel sick yourself
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Burden of Seasonal Influenza

• Every year in the US
• 30 million people get sick due to influenza
• 11 million need to see a heath care provider
• 200,000 people are admitted to the hospital
• 36,000 people die from seasonal influenza

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Importance of Seasonal Flu Vaccine for
Healthcare workers

• Because you work in health care, you are twice as
  likely to get influenza than the general
  population
• If you get influenza you can spread it to your
  patients, family and co-workers

• The single best way to prevent influenza is to
  get the flu vaccine each year

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Effectiveness of Vaccine

• How well the flu vaccine works varies from year
  to year
• The vaccine works best in young, healthy adults
• The flu vaccine prevents influenza illness in
  70-90 of healthy people under the age of 65.
  This means that each year a small number of
  people get influenza even though they got the
  vaccine. However they usually have less severe
  illness than those who were not vaccinated
• The vaccine is less effective in older people and
  those with health problems. Thus it is even more
  important that people around them (family members
  and healthcare workers) get the flu vaccine

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Flu vaccine side-effects

• Two types of seasonal flu vaccine will be
  available at Mayo
• Flu shot
• A killed vaccine given as an injection
• Side-effects include Soreness at the vaccine
  site and muscle aches
• Flu Mist
• A live vaccine given as a nasal spray. You cannot
  receive this vaccine if you are 50 years or
  older, have chronic health problems or if you are
  pregnant
• Side-effects include Cough, runny nose, headache

Side-effects with both types of vaccine are mild
and generally last less than 48 hours
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TOP REASONS why you should get the flu vaccine

• You are more likely to get influenza because you
  work in healthcare
• If you get influenza you can spread it to
  patients and others even though you may not feel
  sick
• The flu vaccine is safe and effective and free
• By getting the flu vaccine you protect your
  patients, family, co-workers and community

Protect our patients, protect your family,
protect yourself !
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After viewing this presentation, if you still DO
NOT plan to get the SEASONAL FLU vaccine, please
let us know why. Pick the option that best
describes your reason

• I dont think I need the vaccine
• The flu vaccine makes me sick
• The flu vaccine doesnt really work
• The side effects of the vaccine are worse than
  the flu
• I dont think employee flu vaccination protects
  patients
• I am allergic to the vaccine. Consider
  scheduling a allergy consult to see if you can
  safely get the flu vaccine

All answers are CONFIDENTIALData is being
collected in order to improve our programs Your
answers will not be shared with supervisors
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Other Influenza Prevention Measures

• Cover your mouth and nose while coughing or
  sneezing and encourage others to do the same.
• Display Respiratory Etiquette signs in out -
  patient areas
• Room out-patients with coughillness as soon as
  possible. While evaluating these patients wear a
  droplet mask
• Perform hand hygiene - use soap and water or
  alcohol hand rub
• Place hospital patients with fever and
  respiratory symptoms in Droplet Plus isolation
  until influenza is ruled out, follow Door Card
  instructions

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If you think you have Influenza.

• Do not come in to work if you have fever and
  cough
• If you are diagnosed with seasonal influenza you
  need to stay home till your fever is gone
• Call your phsyician if you have questions about
  when you can safely return to work
• Prescription medication (antivirals) can be
  helpful if started within 48 hours. Talk to your
  primary provider, especially if you have heart or
  lung problems
• Remember the flu vaccine is not 100 effective.
  So you can still get the flu even if you have had
  the flu vaccine.

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H1N1 Influenza

• H1N1 flu virus is a novel flu virus that began
  causing flu-like illness in April, 2009
• H1N1 illness is similar to seasonal flu main
  symptoms are fever, muscle aches, cough, sore
  throat
• The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against
  H1N1
• An H1N1 vaccine will be available later this
  year, watch the Influenza web site for H1N1
  vaccine information
• H1N1 vaccination is currently recommended for
• Pregnant women
• Contacts of children less than 6 months of age
• Healthcare workers
• People 6 months -24 years
• People 25-64 years with chronic medical problems

13
H1N1 Influenza

• H1N1 flu virus is a novel flu virus that began
  causing flu-like illness in April of 2009
• As of August 2009, over 7000 cases and 500 deaths
  due to H1N1 have been reported in the US
• It is likely that we will see more H1N1 cases
  this fall
• H1N1 illness is similar to seasonal flu main
  symptoms are fever, muscle aches, cough, sore
  throat
• H1N1 most commonly affects younger people,
  especially those between the age of 5 and 24 years

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H1N1 Vaccine

• The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against
  H1N1
• An H1N1 vaccine will be available later this year
• Groups with highest priority for H1N1 vaccination
  include
• Pregnant women
• People who care for children younger than 6
  months
• Health care workers who have direct patient
  contact
• Children 6 months - 4 years
• Children 5 -18 years with chronic medical
  conditions
• It is likely that you will need 2 doses of H1N1
  vaccine separated by 3 weeks

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Can I do anything else to prevent H1N1?

• H1N1 is spread in the same way as seasonal
  influenza
• Hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and
  appropriate isolation prevent spread of both
  seasonal and H1N1 influenza
• Stay home if you have fever and new cough
• If you are diagnosed with H1N1 infection, we
  currently recommend that you stay home for 7 days
  from when you started feeling sick.
• H1N1 information is changing rapidly.

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• AOEC thanks William Buchta, MD of the Mayo Clinic
  System for donating this set of slides. August
  2009