Flu

(WCCO) As the H1N1 virus continues to spread, it seems the questions only follow -- circulating among parents and students alike. With so many inquiries and uncertainties out there, WCCO felt it was a good time to find some answers.

Submit your questions Inside the Box on anything H1N1-related and check back to wcco.com to find out what we found.

Marsha writes, "It appears there are stages to this flu. Stage one seems to be fever, sore throat and aches. Then the fever leaves and things get better only to find out it has traveled to their lungs and death can occur very quickly. Please explain at what point a person should truly be looked at by a medical professional to prevent from getting worse. It sounds like waiting too long is what is causing deaths. Thanks."

Answer: In children, warning signs to seek medical care urgently include fast breathing, trouble breathing, bluish skin color, not drinking enough fluids, not waking up or not interacting, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held, flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough or a fever with a rash.

In adults, the signs are similar. Medical attention may be necessary if the adult is experiencing difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion and severe or persistent vomiting. Visit the Centers for Disease Control Web site for more.

Sarah writes, "Emergency rooms and clinics are discouraging symptomatic people from coming in and being tested for H1N1. How are we getting statistics of how many people actually have that bug when so many are not being tested for it? Also, if a person knew with certainty they have H1N1, they would not need to be vaccinated. So, why the vague assumptions? Please explain."

Answer: Actually the health officials are still testing for H1N1, just not for every case. They are able to estimate numbers much like a political poll. They take a sample and can extrapolate the number of cases on that.

Learn more about the CDC's surveillance methods.

Steve writes, "I have already had the H1N1 flu and recovered. Is it possible for me to get H1N1 again?"

Answer: Short answer is yes. If you had symptoms but were not tested, it could have been another flu strain and you should get the H1N1 vaccine. Even if you were tested and it was positive, it will not hurt you to get the vaccine. For more information, visit the CDC Web site on vaccination questions, which states ...

"The symptoms of influenza are similar to those caused by many other viruses. Even when influenza viruses are causing large numbers of people to get sick, other viruses are also causing illnesses. Specific testing, called 'RT-PCR test,' is needed in order to tell if an illness is caused by a specific influenza strain or by some other virus.

This test is different from rapid flu tests that doctors can do in their offices. Since most people with flu-like illnesses will not be tested with RT-PCR this season, the majority will not know whether they have been infected with 2009 H1N1 flu or a different virus.

Therefore, if you were ill but do not know if you had 2009 H1N1 infection, you should get vaccinated, if your doctor recommends it. So, most people recommended for 2009 H1N1 vaccination should be vaccinated with the 2009 H1N1 vaccine regardless of whether they had a flu-like illness earlier in the year.

If you have had 2009 H1N1 flu, as confirmed by an RT-PCR test, you should have some immunity against 2009 H1N1 flu and can choose not to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. However, vaccination of a person with some existing immunity to the 2009 H1N1 virus will not be harmful. For more information on flu tests, see Influenza Diagnostic Testing During the 2009-2010 Flu Season

Any immunity from 2009 H1N1 influenza infection or vaccination will not provide protection against seasonal influenza. All people who want protection from seasonal flu should still get their seasonal influenza vaccine."

Nancy Aleshire writes, "I do not dispute the groups being targeted for receiving the H1N1 vaccine (health care workers, pregnant women, children with health concerns). However, another group needs to be added to that list -- adults with chronic health concerns. My 25-year-old son almost died during Crohn's disease surgery and he also has asthma. People like him need to be priority one. Health Partners do not have the vaccine, but I guess they will let us know when they do. Hopefully, he will not contract H1N1 before then."

Answer: The CDC has always recommended adults aged 25-64 with chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems be among the first to get the vaccine.

Also targeted for first vaccines are pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months, healthcare and emergency medical providers and persons between 6 months and 24 years.

People over the age of 65 appear to have some immunity to the virus. So this group will be lower on the list to receive the vaccine.

Read more about H1N1 vaccine recommendations here.

The CDC states, "We do not expect that there will be a shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine, but availability and demand can be unpredictable. There is some possibility that initially the vaccine will be available in limited quantities."

It goes on to state, "The committee recognized the need to assess supply and demand issues at the local level. The committee further recommended that once the demand for vaccine for these target groups has been met at the local level, programs and providers should begin vaccinating everyone from ages 25 through 64 years.

Current studies indicate the risk for infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups. Therefore, as vaccine supply and demand for vaccine among younger age groups is being met, programs and providers should offer vaccination to people over the age of 65."

April Lee writes, "How can u tell if it is just a cold or symptoms of H1N1? I have a 4 year old and it is hard to tell with her."

Answer: Bottom line, colds usually have mild symptoms; flu symptoms are more severe and H1N1 is even more so.

A few key differences between a cold and the flu --

A cold will rarely result in a fever, where the fever is a main characteristic of the flu (typically high of 100 to 102 degrees that lasts for three to four days).
Headaches are prominent with the flu and rare with colds. General aches and pains are only slight with a cold but will be usual and often times severe with the flu.

Fatique and weakness is typically quite mild with a common cold, however, with the flu it can last up to two to three weeks. Another key sign is that extreme exhaustion never appears with a cold but is early and prominent with the flu. For more differences between a cold and the flu, visit the CDC's Web site or Web MD.

Symptoms of seasonal flu and H1N1 can be similar, but with H1N1 the symptoms will likely be more severe. A number of H1N1 cases also reported vomiting and diarrhea, which are not symptoms of the seasonal flu.

For more on the seasonal flu vs. H1N1, click here.

Jeanne writes, "I'm not sure if I should get the H1N1 vaccine. My 14-month-old daughter can't get the vaccine because she is allergic to eggs. I am very concerned about this year's flu season."

Answer: Anyone with asthma or egg allergies should consult with their doctor about the H1N1 vaccine. Because children have been at risk for severe complications with the flu, a regimen has been developed for giving the vaccine.

The CDC states, "People who are allergic to eggs might be at risk for allergic reactions from receiving influenza vaccines, including the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. People who have had any of the following symptoms or experiences should consult with a doctor or other medical professional before considering any influenza vaccination:

• hives or swelling of the lips or tongue

• acute respiratory distress (trouble breathing) after eating eggs

• documented hypersensitivity to eggs, including those who have had asthma related to egg exposure at their workplace or other allergic responses to egg protein

Because children with severe asthma are at high risk of serious complications from influenza, a regimen has been developed for giving influenza vaccine to children with severe asthma and egg hypersensitivity."

For more information, check with the CDC.

Kristie writes, "Why are only certain people being tested for the actual H1N1? I have been sick for a week and was told probable H1N1 but was never tested. I still am not feeling well. How do I know when it is safe to return to work? I work in health care and want to protect my family and the ones I care for from this illness."

Answer: The CDC recommends staying at home until you are fever free. Most non-hospitalized cases of H1N1 have experienced a fever for two to four days. People are still contagious with flu virus for up to 10 days. But it's not nearly as severe as during the fever or the 24-hour period following fever.

The best recommendation is to stay home from work and social gatherings for three to five days, if you think you have H1N1 flu.

Read more about exclusion guidelines from the CDC.

Leroy writes, "What is in a flu shot or flu vaccination? From what I hear, I don't think it's stuff I'd willingly put into my body. I hear there's mercury and stuff that makes people sterile, is this true? Why do most chiropractors say vaccinations are bad and doctors don't seem to agree?"

Answer: Some vaccines have a mercury-containing preservative called Thimerosal. There is no scientific evidence that low doses cause any harm. But some manufacturers provide thimerosal-free vaccines. Just ask your doctor if you'd prefer a thimerosal-free vaccine. To see a list of manufacturers and whether there is thimerosal in any vaccine go here.

More information on thimerosal can be found here.

Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930s. There is no convincing scientific evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

Since 2001, with the exception of some influenza vaccines, thimerosal is not used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines.

Anonymous writes, "What should you do if your employer keeps allowing sick people to stay at work? I love my co-workers but do I have any rights to a healthy, safe workplace? How do you get people to go home politely when they're clearly sick?"

Answer: If someone you work with is sick with the flu and it is not a health care job, the CDC says a facemask/respirator is not recommended but could be considered under certain circumstances.

For more on community mitigation measures, click here.

Kathy writes, "I work at a school and we have several children that are out sick with H1N1 symptoms, but so far are testing negative. They are being tested with rapid flu tests. I heard that about 50 percent of these rapid flu tests are reporting false negatives. Is this true? And should we assume if they are showing H1N1 symptoms that they probably have the H1N1 virus?"

Answer: Actually, the rapid tests appear to be better at detecting flu in children than adults. But none of the FDA approved tests are able to distinguish H1N1 from other flu strains. The tests' ability to detect flu ranges from 10 to 70 percent. That means some people with H1N1 have had false negative test results.

For more on flu tests, visit the CDC Web site.

Check back all day to see more answers to your H1N1 questions.

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