Timely Treatment

What To Do If You Get Sick

If you live in areas where people have been identified with 2009 H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people.

CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)

Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

WARNING: Do not give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to children or teenagers who have the flu. It can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye's syndrome.

• Children 5 years of age and older can take medicines without aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), to relieve symptoms.
• The safest care for flu symptoms in children younger than 2 years of age is using a cool-mist humidifier and a suction bulb to help clear away mucus.
• Medications will not lessen how infectious a person is.
• Check the ingredients on the package label to see if the medication already contains acetaminophen or ibuprofen before taking additional doses of these medications—don’t double dose! Patients with kidney disease or stomach problems should check with their health care provider before taking any NSAIDS.

Emergency Warning Signs in Children (seek medical care)

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing


• Bluish or gray skin color


• Not drinking enough fluids


• Severe or persistent vomiting


• 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

Emergency Warning Signs in Adults (seek medical care)