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Influenza Virus Information
Latest News
- Nov. 20 - H1N1 Wave Peaking in the U.S.? (WebMD)
- Nov. 19 - New H1N1 Cases Down in Santa Fe (SF New Mexican)
- Nov. 18 - H1N1 in NM: Flu Situation Update (NMDOH)
- Nov. 18 - Swine Flu Deaths Rise 7 in NM (KOAT)
- Nov. 17 - UNM Takes Extra Steps in H1N1 Prevention (KOAT)
- Nov. 12 - Swine flu deaths rise by 3 in NM (newswest9.com)
- Nov. 10 - Flow of H1N1 vaccines picking up in U.S. (Reuters)
How can I find a flu shot?
Click here to find a flu shot clinic
How will I know if there is a flu emergency?
Click here to sign up for SFCC Emergency and Weather text messages.
How do I know if I have a cold or the flu?
Get the facts at flufacts.com.
Should I see a doctor?
Check your symptoms on this Flu Decision chart.
How do I know if I have the flu?
Flu symptoms may include fever, coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. In H1N1 (swine) flu infection, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur.
Annual outbreaks of the seasonal flu usually occur during the late fall through early spring. Most people have natural immunity, and a seasonal flu vaccine is available. Two strains of flu, seasonal flu and the H1N1 (Swine) flu, are currently circulating in the United States. Most healthy people recover from the flu without problems, but certain people are at high risk for serious complications.
This year, the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus may cause a more dangerous flu season with a lot more people getting sick, being hospitalized and dying than during a regular flu season. H1N1 (Swine Flu) is a new virus first seen in the United States. It is contagious and spreads from person to person. Like seasonal flu, illness in people with H1N1 can vary from mild to severe.
How can I prevent the flu?
- Get vaccinated (this year, there will be two separate vaccinations, one for seasonal flu, another for H1N1)
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water
- Cover your nose and mouths with a tissue or shirt sleeve when coughing or sneezing
- Stay home when you are sick
How should people at SFCC respond to flu-like symptoms?
CDC's guidance to schools is designed to keep schools open while they do what they can to protect students and staff. Recommendations include:
- Students and staff with flu-like illness should stay home and away from other people for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without using a fever-reducing medicine.
- School staff should routinely clean areas that students and staff touch often with the cleaners they typically use. Special cleaning with bleach is unnecessary.
- Students and staff who appear to have flu-like illness should be sent home.
- People at high risk from the flu should contact their physicians.
Who should get vaccinated first?
While health officials are recommending all New Mexicans receive both a seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccination as they become available, the first group the Department of Health is advising to get vaccinated is pregnant women, household members/caretakers of infants less than 6 months old, children 6 to 9 months of age, children 5 to 18 years with certain chronic health conditions that increase their risk of complications from flu, and healthcare workers and emergency medical service personnel with direct patient care.
The Department of Health is planning for vaccination clinics and will make vaccine available to healthcare providers throughout the state to assist in vaccination efforts. The Department of Health is notifying healthcare providers around the state of the first priority groups that should be vaccinated.
How is SFCC responding to the flu?
Under the guidance of government and state health organizations, Santa Fe Community College is preparing to respond to higher-than-normal instances of influenza this season, primarily due to the anticipated rise in cases of new H1N1 influenza - better known as swine flu.
SFCC is taking a series of precautions and preventative steps to make the campus as safe as possible. SFCC custodial staff is ramping up sanitation efforts by disinfecting doorknobs, handrails, desk tops, telephones and computer boards throughout the campus. Hand sanitizer dispensers have been placed throughout the campus.
The New Mexico Department of Health is working with providers throughout the state, including hospitals, clinics, private providers and pharmacists, to provide vaccinations to protect people against the new strain of influenza (H1N1) and seasonal influenza. Health officials are estimating that proper protection from influenza this season may require as many as three flu shots, two for the swine flu, and a separate dose for the seasonal flu.
The vaccine for H1N1 is still being developed. For up-to-date information on the availability and location of vaccinations and general news and information on influenza in New Mexico, visit http://nmhealth.org/. SFCC will provide information on the location of vaccination sites as that information is released.
The Department of Health will not test additional school cases for H1N1 unless patients are hospitalized. The Department is tracking hospitalized cases to see if there is a change in disease severity.
Where can I go to learn more about the flu?
Helpful information:
- New Mexico Department of Health: Swine Influenza Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing the Flu, Updates, Key Facts, Swine Flu and You
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Swine Flu Investigation
- World Health Organization: Latest News
- PandemicFlu.gov: News, Individual and Families Planning, Swine Flu Questions
