{"id":2091,"date":"2009-10-01T13:33:18","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T18:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthnews.nchealthplans.com\/?p=2091"},"modified":"2010-06-16T12:54:11","modified_gmt":"2010-06-16T17:54:11","slug":"flu-season-and-h1n1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/2009\/10\/flu-season-and-h1n1\/","title":{"rendered":"Flu Season and H1N1"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Flu season is likely to start earlier and be more widespread this year. The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus that triggered the April 2009 outbreak and caused only mild illness will likely be the major strain. Standard strains of the flu will also be circulating, and there is a chance that the flu (seasonal and 2009 H1N1) could cause more severe illness. Blue Cross Blue Shield<\/a> is making flu shots available to eligible members with preventive care benefits. (The flu shot is subject to any applicable copayment<\/a>, deductible<\/a> or coinsurance<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

H1N1 Prevention, Symptoms and Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Flu season is likely to start earlier and be more widespread this year. The 2009 H1N1
\ninfluenza virus that triggered the April 2009 outbreak and caused only mild illness will
\nlikely be the major strain. Standard strains of the flu will also be circulating, and there is
\na chance that the flu (seasonal and 2009 H1N1) could cause more severe illness.
\nFlu symptoms include fever or chills and cough or sore throat. Symptoms may also
\ninclude runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting. It is hard
\nto tell if someone who is sick has the 2009 H1N1 flu or seasonal flu.
\nPrevention will play a very key role this year. Prevention includes protecting yourself
\nand NOT spreading the disease to others. Here\u2019s what you should do:<\/p>\n

Prevent:<\/span>
\n\u2022 A cough or sneeze may be the first symptom of illness. Therefore, every
\ntime you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and throw
\nused tissues in the trash.
\n\u2022 If you develop flu symptoms, make arrangements to go home as soon as
\npossible.
\n\u2022 Stay home until at least 24 hours after you no longer have fever (100
\ndegrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (chills, feel very
\nwarm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). Checking for absence of a
\nfever should be determined without the use of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
\n\u2022 Hand washing protects yourself and others, so wash your hands often,
\nespecially after you cough or sneeze, or:
\no Before and after preparing food or eating.
\no After using the restroom.
\no Before and after touching your nose, eyes or mouth.
\no After you\u2019ve been in contact with commonly touched surfaces such as
\ndoorknobs and handrails.
\n\u2022 Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
\no Use alcohol-based hand cleaners if soap and water are not available.
\n\u2022 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth to prevent spreading germs.<\/h3>\n

Vaccinate:<\/span>
\n\u2022 Get the vaccine for seasonal flu \u2013 usually available in October – to prevent or
\ndecrease the severity of the flu.<\/h3>\n

\u2022 Also get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available (plan is for late
\nOctober). The vaccine will likely require two shots, a primary shot and a booster
\nshot approximately one month later. Priority groups should receive the 2009
\nH1N1 vaccine first. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list
\nthese groups as:
\no Pregnant women
\no People who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months of age
\no Health care and emergency medical services personnel
\no Children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years
\no Adults ages 25 to 64 years with medical conditions that put them at higher
\nrisk for influenza-related complications<\/h3>\n

Get Well:<\/span>
\n\u2022 Most healthy people recover from the H1N1 or seasonal flu without
\ncomplications. If you get the flu, it\u2019s important that you:
\n\u2022 Stay home from work or school.
\n\u2022 Get lots of rest, drink plenty of liquids, and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
\n\u2022 Relieve the symptoms of the flu with appropriate over-the-counter
\nmedications, or as directed by your doctor. ***However, never give aspirin
\nto children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, particularly fever.
\n\u2022 If you\u2019re at risk for serious complications, consult your provider as soon
\nas you can for recommendations for antiviral medications if you\u2019ve been
\nexposed to someone who likely has 2009 H1N1. You are considered high
\nrisk if you:
\no Are under the age of 5 or over 65
\no Are pregnant
\no Have a chronic medical condition, such as pulmonary disease,
\nasthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders, heart disease, or a
\ncompromised immune system
\nHere are the warning signs that the sick person needs urgent medical attention:
\n\u2022 Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
\n\u2022 Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
\n\u2022 Sudden dizziness
\n\u2022 Confusion
\n\u2022 Severe or persistent vomiting
\n\u2022 Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough<\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The information above is brought to you from BCBSNC: September 11, 2009.<\/p>\n

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina<\/a>\u00a0and how to utilize My Member Services, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com<\/a> or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). <\/a>You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Flu season is likely to start earlier and be more widespread this year. The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus that triggered the April 2009 outbreak and caused only mild illness will likely be the major strain. Standard strains of the flu will also be circulating, and there is a chance that the flu (seasonal and 2009 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,7],"tags":[23,152,339,236],"class_list":["post-2091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bcbsnc-insurance","category-health-and-nutrition","tag-bcbsnc","tag-blue-cross-blue-shield-of-nc","tag-flu-season","tag-h1n1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2091"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2110,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2091\/revisions\/2110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}