Swine flu: Providing care to a sick person

With the deadly HINI virus all over the neighbourhood, if someone you know getsswine flu, here are some tips on how to care for the sick person, yourself, your home and other members in the family.

When providing care to a household member who is sick with influenza, the most important ways to protect yourself and others who are not sick are to:

• Keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible
• Remind the sick person to cover their coughs, and clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after coughing or sneezing.
• Have everyone in the household clean their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub

Caring the swineflu-affected person

• Keep the sick person in a room separate from the common areas of the house. (For example, a spare bedroom with its own bathroom, if that`s possible.) Keep the sickroom door closed.
• Unless necessary for medical care, persons with the flu should not leave the home when
• they have a fever or during the time that they are most likely to spread their infection to others
• If persons with the flu need to leave the home (for example, for medical care), they should cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and wear a loose-fitting (surgical) mask if available.
• Have the sick person wear a surgical mask if they need to be in a common area of the house near other persons.
• If possible, sick persons should use a separate bathroom. This bathroom should be cleaned daily with household disinfectant

Care for other members at home:

• The sick person should not have visitors other than caregivers. A phone call is safer than a visit.
• If possible, have only one adult in the home take care of the sick person.
• Avoid having pregnant women care for the sick person. (Pregnant women are at increased risk of influenza-related complications and immunity can be suppressed during pregnancy).
• All persons in the household should clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub frequently, including after every contact with the sick person or the person’s room or bathroom.
• Use paper towels for drying hands after hand washing or dedicate cloth towels to each person in the household. For example, have different colored towels for each person.
• If possible, consideration should be given to maintaining good ventilation in shared household areas (e.g., keeping windows open in restrooms, kitchen, bathroom, etc.).

If you are the caregiver:

• Avoid being face-to-face with the sick person.
• When holding small children who are sick, place their chin on your shoulder so that they will not cough in your face.
• Clean your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub after you touch the sick person or handle used tissues, or laundry.
• Talk to your Doctor about taking antiviral medication to prevent the caregiver from getting the flu.
• Monitor yourself and household members for flu symptoms and the local H1N1 Command Center if the symptoms occur.

Household cleaning, laundry, and waste disposal:

• Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person in the trash. Wash your hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.
• Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
• Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. ·Avoid hugging laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub right after handling dirty laundry.
• Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

For more information log onto www.swinefluindia.com