• Stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds.
• Rest and take plenty of fluids.
• Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing, and dispose of the used tissues properly.
• Wash your hands with soap and water often and thoroughly, especially after coughing or sneezing.
• Inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with people.
• Avoid travel

Spotting the symptoms:

• The symptoms of Pandemic H1N1 in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
• Some people who have been infected with the virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.

If severely ill:

• It is expected that most people will recover without needing medical care. But this virus has caused deaths, particularly in high-risk groups such as persons with serious underlying health conditions.
• If you have severe illness or you are in a high-risk group, contact your health care provider or seek medical care immediately.
  
  

  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
• Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed. Be aware that some countries with widespread transmission are curtailing individual testing in line with WHO recommendations, to refocus mitigation efforts on the severely ill, and improve understanding of who is most at risk and why.
• Antiviral drugs can be given to treat those who become severely ill. These antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) which have been shown to be effective against influenza viruses, including Pandemic H1N1. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional.
• There are two influenza antiviral medications that are recommended for use against Pandemic H1N1. They are oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu ®) and zanamivir (Relenza ®).
• The drugs work best if given within two days of becoming ill, but may be given later if illness is severe or for those at a high risk for complications.

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