Key messages – for visitors to healthcare facilities during influenza season
- Influenza can be serious. Influenza is now circulating in the community, and it can be serious for some people, especially for pregnant women, those aged 65 and over, children, and people with long-term health conditions
- Avoid visiting individuals who may be more vulnerable to complications if they catch influenza
- Please do not visit a hospital or a care home if you have influenza-like symptoms
- Please refrain from visiting a hospital or a care home with suspected or confirmed with influenza unless it is essential
- If you are at risk because you are pregnant, aged 65 or over, a child or a person with a long-term health condition we advise you refrain from visiting
- Please remember to clean your hands on entering the ward or care home and again when leaving if you must visit a person, ward or home where influenza is suspected or confirmed
- You may be asked to wear an apron, gloves and a surgical mask while you are visiting, this will be discussed with you before you visit and will be provided for you
- When you are ready to leave you must remove any protective equipment you are wearing and dispose of it in the waste bag provided in that area, then clean your hands
- Don’t spread flu around. If you think you might have flu you can help reduce the chances of spreading it to others by catching your sneezes in a tissue, putting that tissue straight in the bin and then washing your hands
Catch it Bin it Kill it.
- Don’t miss out, get vaccinated. The single best way to protect against catching or spreading flu is with annual flu vaccination. It helps protect against the flu strain currently circulating in Wales. Vaccine remains available and still offers some protection, so individuals in eligible groups who have not had a flu vaccine yet this winter should speak to their GP surgery or community pharmacy about getting their flu vaccine soon
- Do the right thing. Flu vaccine remains the single best way to protect against catching and spreading flu so if you are a carer, in a risk group, or a front line health or social care worker find out about getting your flu vaccine as soon as possible to protect yourself and those you care for.
Please REMEMBER!!!!
- Flu symptoms tend to come on quickly and can include:
Most healthy people with flu can care for themselves at home and should drink plenty of fluids, take paracetamol or ibuprofen, keep warm, rest and stay away from others as much as possible – especially people who are at increased risk of complications. Symptoms usually resolve in about a week. Whilst you are unwell, avoid visiting hospitals or care homes to help reduce the chances of spreading flu in these settings.
Most people do not need to visit their GP surgery if they think they might have flu. However, those who are aged 65 or over, have a long-term health condition, are pregnant or are worried about a young child should seek advice from their GP surgery, as should those whose symptoms are deteriorating or are not improving after a week.
People should only attend A&E or call an ambulance if they need urgent care, for example feeling short of breath, chest pain or coughing up blood or have other serious symptoms or deteriorate quickly.
Advice on self-care and assessing your symptoms is available at NHS direct on the links below and NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 (or 111 in areas where the 111 Wales service is available) OR you can speak to your community pharmacist
www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.ukhttps://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/SelfAssessments/symptomchecker/coldflu/
