Doylestown Hospital Flu Hotline - Call 215-345-2425

If you are concerned about the current H1N1 flu (Swine Flu) outbreak, there are excellent resources available to help you understand this situation, and to protect you and your family.

If anyone in your family has flu-like symptoms, you should first call your family doctor. 

If your doctor suspects you might have the flu, he or she may order a flu screening test that can be performed at Doylestown Hospital.  Please see the link for H1N1 Testing Hours.

Additional information is available on the Internet at:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web site at www.cdc.gov/swineflu http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu

the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Web site at www.health.state.pa.us http://www.health.state.pa.us

or, the Bucks County Department of Health Web site at www.buckscounty.org http://www.buckscounty.org and click on the "Information on Swine Flu" on the home page.

Information can also be found by calling:

The Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-PAHEALTH,

or the Bucks County Department of Health at 215-345-3318.

"How should I protect myself against H1N1 Swine Flu?"

To prevent becoming infected with the flu, wash your hands with soap and water of hand sanitizer, avoid touching your eyes and nose in case the virus is on your hands, avoid contact with sick individuals, and listen to your local health authorities. 

If you are sick stay at  home, rest, drink plenty of fluids, eat healthy foods, and avoid contact with the public.  Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing to avoid spreading droplets which contain the virus.  Sick children, who have a fever and flu-like illness, shouldn't go to school. 

No person with flu-like symptoms should ever get on an airplane or another public transport to travel. Stay at home to prevent the further spread of the flu. In a Public Heath Emergency it is part of personal responsibility to try to reduce the spread.


Receive the H1N1 Flu Vaccination

CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, met July 29, 2009, to make recommendations on who should receive the new H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available.  While some issues are still unknown, such as how severe the flu season, the ACIP considered several factors, including current disease patterns, populations most at-risk for severe illness based on current trends in illness, hospitalizations and deaths, how much vaccine is expected to be available, and the timing of vaccine availability.

The H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine - it is intended to be used along side seasonal flu vaccine.

The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine include:

- Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated.

- Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants younger than 6 months old might help protect infants by cocooning them from the virus.

- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism in this population could reduce healthcare system capacity.

- All people from 6 months through 24 years of age.

- Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread.

- Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population.

- Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

- Once the demand for vaccine for priortized groups has been met at the local level, programs and providers should begin vaccinating everyone from the ages of 25 through 64 years.

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Symptoms

H1N1 Flu presents itself like seasonal flu.  Generally those infected will have a fever greater than 100 degrees F and a cough and/or sore throat.  These symptoms may be accompanied by body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and possibly diarrhea or vomiting.

The anti-virals oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), are proving effective in treating this flu.

If you live in areas where people have been identified with
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. 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.

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu
complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical
care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing
or treatment is needed.

If you become ill and experience any of the following
warning signs, seek emergency medical care:

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

    -    Fast breathing or 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
  

In adults emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

    -    Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
    -    Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
    -    Sudden dizziness
    -    Confusion
    -    Severe or persistent vomiting
    -    Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and
         worse cough