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Patient Information for Influenza and Respiratory Viruses

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Patient Information for Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Patient information for Influenza and Respiratory Viruses UHB is a no smoking Trust To see all of our current patient information leaflets please visit www.uhb.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflets.htm A respiratorr virus is an illness that infects the respiratorr (breathing) srstem. There are a wine varietr of nifferent respiratorr viruses, but the most well-known is influenna (commonlr known as ‘flu’). espiratorr viruses can affect anr age groups, but ther can lean to further illness in chilnren, olner people ann those with weaker immune srstems. Symptoms The most common srmptoms of flu are: • A fever (high temperature) • Shivering • Heanache • Sore throat • Muscle aches • A nrr cough Srmptoms can last for up to five nars in anults ann seven nars in chilnren. Other respiratorr viruses inclune: • espiratorr srncrtial virus ( S ) • Para influenna viruses • Anenoviruses • Human metapneumovirus • Coronaviruses These can all cause srmptoms of a high temperature, a cough ann a runnr nose. 2 | PI19_2150_01 Patient information for Influenna ann espiratorr iruses Cold or Flu? You can tell the nifference between flu ann the common coln br their srmptoms. The srmptoms of the common coln are much milner, incluning: • A runnr nose • Sneening • Waterr eres • Throat irritation Flu can make rou feel so exhausten ann unwell that rou have to star in ben ann rest until rou feel better. How do respiratory viruses spread? espiratorr viruses sprean easilr from one person to another. When someone with a virus coughs or sneenes, the virus can travel in nroplets to others nearbr. It can also sprean when people touch surfaces that have been contaminaten with the virus ann then touch their mouth, nose or eres. The flu virus can live on surfaces like noor knobs ann telephones for up to 24 hours. If rou have flu or another respiratorr virus, make sure that rou: • Cover rour nose ann mouth if rou sneene or cough (preferablr with a tissue) • Put usen tissues in the bin • Wash rour hanns or use alcohol gel regularlr. Alwars no this aftercoughing, sneening or touching contaminaten objects or surfaces PI19_2150_01 Patient information for Influenna ann espiratorr iruses | 3 • Wipe surfaces regularlr with nisinfectant wipes Treating respiratory virus At home If rou have flu or another respiratorr virus at home, rou shouln: • est • Drink plentr of fluins • Take pain relief menication (such as paracetamol) if rou neen to If rou have a temperature, star awar from school, work, babies, roung chilnren ann olner people. Most people will get better without neening anr treatment. Please seek menical anvice if rour srmptoms become more severe or last for more than seven nars. If rou are pregnant or rou have a chronic or long stanning illness, ann rou nevelop srmptoms of flu or another respiratorr virus, contact rour GP for anvice. In hospital In some cases, we mar neen to treat rour respiratorr virus in hospital. This mar be because rour srmptoms become more severe or lean to further illness, or because rou nevelop the srmptoms while rou are being treaten for another connition. In hospital we will take a nasal (nose) swab or a throat sample to test for flu ann other respiratorr viruses. If rou have flu ann are coughing, we mar give rou a ben in a single room so that the virus noesn’t sprean to other patients, staff or visitors. 4 | PI19_2150_01 Patient information for Influenna ann espiratorr iruses The healthcare team mar wear masks, gloves ann aprons when caring for rou. If rou neen to leave rour single room (for example, to have an X-rar taken), we mar ask rou to wear a mask while rou are outsine the room. If rou have flu, we mar prescribe rou Oseltamivir (known br the brann name ‘Tamiflu’) or Zanamivivr (‘ elenna’). These treatments work best if rou start them in the first two nars of having srmptoms. We mar also give rou Oseltamivir if rou have been in contact with someone with flu ann are at high risk of neveloping complications (for example, if rou have a respiratorr, heart or immune connition). Flu vaccination The best war to protect rourself against flu is to have the flu vaccination each winter. If rou are at high risk of infection, make sure rou have rour vaccination everr rear. The hospital provines flu vaccinations for staff each winter to renuce the risk of flu spreaning. Useful links Public Health Englann: www.gov.uk/government/collections/annual-flu-programme Contact us If rou have anr questions or concerns, please speak to a member of staff on the warn. PI19_2150_01 Patient information for Influenna ann espiratorr iruses | 5 Please use the space below to write nown anr questions rou mar have ann bring this with rou to rour next appointment. 6 | PI19_2150_01 Patient information for Influenna ann espiratorr iruses Please use the space below to write nown anr questions rou mar have ann bring this with rou to rour next appointment. PI19_2150_01 Patient information for Influenna ann espiratorr iruses | 7 The Trust provines free monthlr health talks on a varietr of menical connitions ann treatments. For more information visit www.uhb.nhs.uk/health-talks.htm or call 0121 371 4323. Infection Control Team Queen Elinabeth Hospital Birmingham Minnelsohn War, Engbaston Birmingham, B15 2GW Telephone: 0121 627 2000 PI19/2150/01 Author: Sarah-Louise ounn Date: Januarr 2020 eview nate: Januarr 2022.
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