FAQs about Flu Season

[Pages:5]FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FLU SEASON

Fiscal Year 2022

1. What is flu? The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

2. Onset of Symptoms The time from when a person is exposed to flu virus and infected to when symptoms begin ranges 1-4 days (average 2 days).

3. What are symptoms of flu? Symptoms are mainly fever> 101?F or 38.4?C plus respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion, body aches. Some people may have headaches, chills, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, or diarrhea. If you have low fever with a lot of runny nose then you may not have flu.

*It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

4. What are the warning signs in patients with flu and what should they do? Warning signs/symptoms in adults include shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, decreased responsiveness or confusion, worsening headaches or seizures, persistent vomiting, diarrhea, and unable to keep liquids down, lightheadedness or dizziness.

In children, fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish or grey skin discoloration, fever with rash, or irritability and not wanting to be held are some warning signs.

As soon as a person has these symptoms they MUST contact their healthcare provider and if unable to contact their provider, they must go to the Emergency Room.

5. When is a person with flu contagious? A person with flu is contagious from 1-day prior through 7 days after the onset of symptoms or up to 24 hours after cessation of fever (without use of antipyretics), whichever is longer. People with the flu are most contagious in the first 3-4 days after their illness begins, Note that children and persons who are immunocompromised such as transplant patients may shed virus for longer

6. How is flu spread? Flu is mainly spread by person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread by touching something with flu viruses on it, such as a doorknob, or tissues, then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. The flu virus can "live" on some surfaces for up to 48 hours. Routine cleaning of surfaces may reduce the spread of flu.

7. Who is at risk for complications from flu? Children < 5 years old, children and adolescents (6 months - 18yo) on long-term aspirin therapy or who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection, adults and children with

chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (excluding HTN), hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes), immunosuppressed adults and children (including that caused by medications or HIV), pregnant women, adults> 65 years old, and residents of nursing homes or other chronic care facilities are at risk for complications from flu.

8. What is contained in this year's flu vaccine? All flu vaccines for 2021-2022 will be quadrivalent (four component), meaning designed to protect against four different flu viruses. ? an A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus; ? an A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 (H3N2)-like virus; ? a B/Washington/02/2019- like virus (B/Victoria lineage); ? a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (B/Yamagata lineage)

9. Will I need more than one dose of flu vaccine? If you are a healthy adult, you will not need more than one dose of flu vaccine. Only children 6 months-8 years who receive flu vaccination for the first time need 2 doses.

10. Who should get vaccinated for flu? Everyone 6 months of age and older should get an influenza (flu) vaccine every season, with rare exceptions. For the 2021-2022 flu season, three main types of influenza vaccines will be available. Two kinds--the inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV4s) and the recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV4)--are injectable (flu shots). The third type, the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4), is given by nasal spray. Different influenza vaccines are approved for different age groups. Everyone who is vaccinated should receive a vaccine that is appropriate for their age and health status.

11. What is the Fluzone High Dose vaccine? It is an inactivated virus vaccine that contains a higher concentration of flu antigens than the regular vaccine to help boost a more robust immune response. It is recommended for people 65 years old.

12. What tests can detect flu? There are many rapid flu tests that can detect influenza A (including H1N1 flu), however their sensitivities are low (which means there may be some false negative tests). The rapid flu tests can give results within 1 hour.

If a person has symptoms consistent with flu and their rapid flu test is negative, and they either are admitted to the hospital or have risk factors for complications from influenza, then a respiratory PCR can be ordered through the microbiology lab. The test is more sensitive than the rapid flu test.

13. Who should receive treatment for flu? Anyone with suspected or confirmed flu can be treated for influenza, especially those who are at risk of complications from influenza, hospitalized, and/or in any type of healthcare facility. Current antivirals approved for the treatment of flu are Oseltamivir or Zanamivir.

14. What should I do if I have symptoms of flu? If you are an employee with symptoms suggestive of flu, notify your supervisor and refer to the ill employee guide for the next steps. Take precautions for preventing transmission of flu until you are

cleared: stay home, wear a mask when around others, maintain a 6 foot distance from others, practice good cough etiquette and clean hands frequently with water or sanitizers.

Following flu, most people can return to work after they have had no fever for at least one day without using a fever reducing medicine. On average, people stay home for 3-5 days. Person's taking antiviral medicines for treatment of influenza usually shed virus for a shorter period but they should complete the prescribed course of medicine and need to be completely asymptomatic before having direct patient contact.

15. How can I prevent transmission of flu? Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then deposit the tissue in a waste basket and wash your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizer. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Distance yourself (at least 6 feet) from people with risk factors for complications from influenza and avoid crowded situations. Most importantly, stay at home until you have no fever for greater than 24 hours without using a fever reducing medicine.

16. What if I have been exposed to someone with flu? If you are a healthcare worker involved in direct patient contact and you had unprotected exposure (within less than 6 feet and neither of you were wearing masks) to someone outside of work with suspected or confirmed flu (from 1 day prior to within 7 days of symptom onset), then contact your healthcare provider immediately for post-exposure prophylaxis.

If you had unprotected exposure at work to a patient or employee with suspected or confirmed flu (from 1 day prior to within 7 days of symptom onset), then contact Occupational Health. You may continue working, but you must continually monitor yourself for signs/symptoms of influenza. If you notice any flu-like symptoms, cease patient care and contact your supervisor and Occupational Health immediately. Depending on your risk factors, you may also qualify for post-exposure prophylaxis with oseltamivir.

17. What are the infection control precautions to take when evaluating a patient with flu? All patients and visitors are required to wear a mask while on campus. Patients with signs/symptoms of influenza should remain off campus, unless being evaluated by a healthcare provider. When obtaining a nasal specimen, wear a gown, gloves and face mask. However, if the patient is coughing profusely, eye protection would need to be included in the PPE.

18. What are the infection control precautions for someone admitted to the unit with flu? Patients admitted to the unit should be placed on droplet precautions along with practicing standard precautions 24/7. Isolation precautions can be discontinued after discussion with Infection Prevention. Rooms should be terminally disinfected in between patients. Visitors should be restricted.

19. What precautions should we take when transporting a patient with flu? The patient should wear a face mask and practice good cough etiquette and avoid touching objects unnecessarily. The transporter should wear gloves, and a face mask (optional).

FLU/COVID QUESTIONS

Fiscal Year 2022

1. What is the difference between flu and COVID-19? Flu and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and seasonal flu (most often just called "flu") is caused by infection with one of many influenza viruses that spread annually among people.

Because some symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, people may need to be tested to tell what virus is causing their illness. People can be infected with both a flu virus and the virus that causes COVID19 at the same time. In general, COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu and causes more serious illnesses in some people. Compared with people who have flu infections, people who have COVID-19 can take longer to show symptoms and be contagious for longer. This FAQ page compares COVID-19 and flu, given the best available information to date. 2. Will there be flu along with COVID-19 in the fall and winter? While it's not possible to say with certainty what will happen in the fall and winter, CDC believes it's likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both be spreading at that time. Relaxed COVID-19 mitigation measures (such as stay-at-home orders, or mask mandates) may result in an increase in flu activity during the upcoming 2021?2022 flu season. Common respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human coronaviruses (not SARS-CoV-2) did not spread as much as usual during the 2020-2021 flu season as in past seasons. However, data from the National Respiratory and Enteric Surveillance System (NREVSS) showed an increase in these viruses' activity during the summer, outside of their usual seasonal increases. This information is summarized in a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Changes in Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Activity During the Pandemic. 3. Can I have flu and COVID-19 at the same time? Yes. It is possible to have flu and other respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 at the same time. Health experts are still studying how common this is. Some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, making it hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Diagnostic testing can help determine if you are sick with flu or COVID-19. If I get sick with flu, am I at higher risk of contracting COVID-19?

4. Because symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, how will I know if I have flu or COVID-19? Your health care professional may order a test to help confirm whether you have flu or COVID-19 or some other illness. Get more information on COVID-19 and flu testing and symptoms of COVID-19 and flu.

5. Is there a test that can detect both flu and COVID-19? Yes. There are tests that will check for seasonal influenza A and B viruses and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Testing for these viruses at the same time gives public health officials important information about how flu and COVID-19 are spreading and what prevention steps people should take. These tests also help public health laboratories save time and testing materials, and possibly return test results faster. More information for laboratories is available.

6. Will a flu vaccine protect me against COVID-19?

Flu vaccines are not designed to protect against COVID-19. Flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death in addition to other important benefits.

Likewise, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection against COVID-19, but those vaccines are not designed to protect against flu. Visit the CDC's Frequently Asked Questions page for information about COVID-19 vaccinations.

7. Does a flu vaccination increase your risk of getting COVID-19? No. There is no evidence that getting a flu vaccination raises your risk of getting sick from COVID-19 or any other coronavirus. (Common human coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upperrespiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold.)

8. I think I may have flu. Is it safe for me to visit my health care professional when COVID-19 is spreading in my community? Health care professionals may have different practices for diagnosing and treating flu during the COVID19 pandemic, such as wearing masks in a health care setting or offering telemedicine. If you have flu symptoms and are at higher risk of serious flu complications, you should call your health care professional as soon as possible to tell them about your symptoms. They may decide to treat you with flu antiviral medications. Follow your health care professionals' and CDC's recommendations for doctor visits.

Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2021-2022 Season | CDC

Please call 214-633-4699 or page 214-362-1163 for further questions. You may also go to or for more information.

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