Basic measures:

• Separate the ill person from others, at least one metre in distance from others, possibly in a separate room..
• Cover your mouth and nose when caring for the ill person. Either commercial or home-made materials are fine, as long as they are disposed of or cleaned properly after use.
• Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly after each contact with the ill person.
• Improve the air flow where the ill person is staying. Use doors and windows to take advantage of breezes.
• Keep the environment clean with readily available household cleaning agents.
• If you are living in a country where influenza A(H1N1) infections have been reported, follow additional advice from your national and local health authorities.
• Infants should not be cared for by sick family members.
• If possible, sick persons should use a separate bathroom. This bathroom should be cleaned daily with household disinfectant.
• 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.

Other important issues:

• 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).
• Avoid having sick family members care for infants and other groups at high risk for complications of influenza.
• 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.).
• Antiviral medications can be used to prevent the flu, so check with your health care provider to see if some persons in the home should use antiviral medications.
• If you are the caregiver

People with Pandemic H1N1 2009 who are cared for at home should:

• Check with their health care provider about any special care they might need if they are pregnant or have a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema
• Check with their health care provider about whether they should take antiviral medications
• Stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer, except to seek medical care or for other necessities
• Get plenty of rest
• Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
• Cover coughs and sneezes. Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often and especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into hands
• Wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others.
• Avoid close contact with others – do not go to work or school while ill
• Be watchful for emergency warning signs (see below) that might indicate you need to seek medical attention.

Medications to Help Lessen Symptoms of the Flu

Check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist for correct, safe use of medications

• Antiviral medications can sometimes help lessen influenza symptoms, but require a prescription. Most people do not need these antiviral drugs to fully recover from either seasonal flu or Pandemic H1N1
• However, persons at higher risk for severe flu complications, or those with severe flu illness who require hospitalization, might benefit from antiviral medications.
• Antiviral medications are available for persons 1 year of age and older. Patients should ask their health care provider whether you need antiviral medication.
• Influenza infections can lead to or occur with bacterial infections. Therefore, some people will also need to take antibiotics. More severe or prolonged illness or illness that seems to get better, but then gets worse again may be an indication that a person has a bacterial infection. Check with your health care provider if you have concerns.
• Over-the-counter cold and flu medications used according to the package instructions may help lessen some symptoms such as cough and congestion. Importantly, these medications will not lessen how infectious a person is.

Medicating Children

• Warning! Do not give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to children or teenagers who have the flu; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.
• Check ingredient labels on over-the-counter cold and flu medications to see if they contain aspirin.
• Children five years of age and older and teenagers with the flu can take medicines without aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), to relieve symptoms.
• Children younger than 4 years of age should NOT be given over-the-counter cold medications without first speaking with a health care provider.
• 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.
• 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.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Care

Get medical care right away if the sick person at home:

• Has difficulty breathing or chest pain
• Has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
• Is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
• Shows signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry
• Has seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions)
• Is less responsive than normal or becomes confused

If the care-giver is in a high-risk group:

• If you are at high risk of influenza associated complications, you should not be the designated caretaker, if possible.
• If you are in a high risk group for complications from influenza, you should attempt to avoid close contact (within 6 feet) with household members who are sick with influenza.
• Designate a person who is not at high risk of flu associated complications as the primary caretaker of household members who are sick with influenza, if at all possible.
• If close contact with a sick individual is unavoidable, consider wearing a facemask or respirator, if available and tolerable.

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.

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