Mayo Clinic Offers H1N1, Seasonal Flu Advice

Friday, September 18, 2009

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic today provided "Do's and Don'ts" for people who think they may have contracted influenza or are experiencing flu-like symptoms. Robin Molella, M.D. will be available for comment at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 18 at Annenberg Plaza on the Mayo Clinic campus.

Flu Do's and Don'ts:

• Do expect to hear frequent messages about policies related to employees who have flu symptoms, as well as procedures related to Mayo's flu response.
• Do get a seasonal flu shot for you and your family. If you are pregnant, it is recommended you get a seasonal flu shot as soon as possible. Mayo Clinic will begin seasonal flu vaccinations Sept. 21.
• Do wear personal protective equipment if you are involved in direct patient care. Practice appropriate hand and respiratory hand hygiene.

If you have flu symptoms:

• Don't come in to the Emergency Department, Mayo Express Care, Employee Occupational Health or your primary care provider if you're generally healthy and you develop influenza-like symptoms, such as fever of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, cough or sore throat, and body aches. Healthy individuals with H1N1 infection do not require treatment with antivirals, and you risk exposing other patients.
• Do call your doctor, however, if you have flu symptoms and you're pregnant or you have a chronic disease, such as emphysema or a heart condition, or have problems with your immune system.
• Do see a doctor if children under 5 or an adult older than 65 have flu symptoms.

If you are involved in direct patient care or work in an environment that has direct contact with patients and develop flu symptoms:

• Do contact your primary care provider if you are pregnant, have a chronic disease or have problems with your immune system.
• Do stay home for seven days from the onset of symptoms or until your fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medicines for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
• Do (for Mayo employees) call your supervisor and notify him/her that you are absent due to the flu. Supervisors should contact their Human Resources (HR) service partner with any questions about flu-related absence policies and procedures.

If you are not involved in direct patient care and develop flu symptoms:

• Do contact your primary care provider if you are pregnant, have a chronic disease or have problems with your immune system.
• Do stay home until you no longer have a fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, such as Tylenol.
• Do call your supervisor and notify him/her that you are absent due to the flu. Supervisors should contact their HR service partner with any questions about flu-related absence policies and procedures.

Mayoclinic.org

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About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy of "the needs of the patient come first." More than 3,700 physicians, scientists and researchers and 50,100 allied health staff work at Mayo Clinic, which has sites in Rochester, Minn; Jacksonville, Fla; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. and community based providers in more than 70 locations in Southern Minn., Western Wis. and Northeast Iowa. These locations treat more than half a million people each year. To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. For information about research and education, visit www.mayo.edu. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.