Here at Vårdguiden.se, the website for health, treatment and care for people in Stockholm, you can read the latest information about the new influenza, which was at first called swine influenza.
Which are the symptoms of the new influenza?
Signs and symptoms of the new influenza are rather like those of ordinary influenza. Common symptoms are a high temperature, coughing, sore throat, body pains, headache and tiredness. Diarrhoea and vomiting can also occur with the new influenza.
How does it spread?
The new influenza is spread between people in the same way as ordinary influenza, through small droplets of fluid that can travel a metre or so through the air when an infected person coughs and sneezes, but also through direct contact, for example by shaking hands.
The infection is spread mainly through close contacts and most easily indoors. The risk of catching influenza is less outdoors.
What should I do if I think I have been infected?
In most cases this illness has been no more serious than ordinary influenza. Therefore, you do not need to seek medical attention or take tests if you suspect that you have been infected with the new influenza, unless you have some underlying disease or if you are pregnant.
Instead, stay at home during the infectious period (5–7 days) and avoid infecting others. Take it easy and rest. Drink a lot of fluid, and take medicine to bring your temperature down, painkillers, or cough medicine when required.
When must I contact the medical services?
- If you belong to a risk group (see below) and develop symptoms of the new influenza, you may need treatment. First, phone Vårdguiden on 08-320 100 and ask for advice. Phone your family doctor before you go to the doctor’s office or your local health care centre. This is important, to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others.
- If you do not belong to a risk group, rest and wait. If your condition gets worse, for instance if you develop a high temperature or breathing difficulties, phone Vårdguiden on 08-320 100 and ask for advice. Otherwise, the same applies as for normal influenza, which is to say that you contact the medical services if you develop serious symptoms or if you have not got better after a week.
- If you are caring for or are in close touch with a person who belongs to one of the risk groups and who shows influenza symtoms, phone Vårdguiden on 08-320 100 for advice.
Who is at risk of becoming seriously ill with the new influenza?
The risk groups consist of people with the following conditions:
- chronic disease of the heart and circulation (cardiovascular disease)
- chronic lung disease (for example asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease, COLD)
- poorly controlled diabetes
- impaired immune defence (for example hereditary immune deficiencies, ongoing treatment that impairs the immune defence, and various types of leukaemia)
- HIV
- diseases of the nerves and muscles (neuromuscular diseases)
and also:
- expectant mothers
- children with impaired immune defence, chronic kidney disease, HIV or AIDS, diabetes, asthma or other lung diseases.
Is the new influenza a big problem for society?
Yes. As the population has no immunity to this virus, there is a risk of a great number of people falling ill at the same time. It can become a big problem for society if many working people fall ill at the same time. For this reason, more people will be offered vaccination than in earlier influenza epidemics.
Is the new influenza a big problem for the person who catches it?
No. Most of those who have had this influenza have only had a mild illness, and hospitalisation has only been necessary in less than 10% of cases. As a rule, illness of a more serious nature has only struck people who already have some underlying chronic disease. As in all influenza epidemics, some deaths have been noted (less than 0.5% of cases).
The illness caused by the new virus (A/H1N1) is not as serious as the one caused by the H5N1 bird influenza. Just as with ordinary influenza, the new influenza can make other chronic diseases worse.
What is the current influenza situation?
Since laboratory tests are not taken as a routine anymore, and many people have a mild illness and do not seek medical care, the statistics do not show a relevant picture of the situation. For the moment, we know through reports from the medical services that the number of cases is slowly increasing, and the epidemic is in a rather calm phase. A significant increase of the number of cases can be expected from the middle of September.
The Institute for Infectious Disease Control (Smittskyddsinstitutet, SMI) provides a continuous update of the number of cases. Visit the website of Smittskyddsinstitutet.
What is the new A/H1N1 influenza?
The virus concerned is a combination of influenza viruses from birds, swine and humans, which has resulted in a new, variant virus causing an infection that can be spread between humans.
How will the health authority of Stockholm County Council take care of people who fall seriously ill?
There are detailed plans for dealing with a widespread influenza pandemic in Stockholm. The health services have started planning for the need of treating large numbers of patients with serious influenza and secondary illnesses. These plans include for example stocktaking on the number of respirators available, preparations for calling in extra staff, and changing the priorities in planned treatment so as to handle an increased need of hospital beds.
The health authority of Stockholm City Council follows the development closely and is in close contact with the responsible authorities in Sweden.
How can I avoid getting this influenza?
The new influenza is an airborne infection. This means that it is spread by coughs and sneezes. Here are a few simple guidelines to think of:
- Avoid close contact with people you know are ill.
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- It is a good idea to use a spirit preparation on your hands for extra safety after washing them.
- Avoid shaking hands with people during periods of influenza.
- If possible, avoid visiting hospitals, homes for the elderly or similar places when influenza cases are there.
If I fall ill myself, how do I avoid infecting other people?
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, particularly if you are coughing and sneezing.
- Cough or sneeze inside your elbow, or into a paper handkerchief which you put down the toilet or into a plastic rubbish bag.
- Stay home from work or school and avoid going out on other errands as long as you are infectious.
- Avoid getting too close to other people.
Is there a vaccine giving protection against the new influenza?
A vaccine has been ordered and is now in production. Delivery is scheduled to start at the end of September. When the new influenza was upgraded to pandemic status on 11 June 2009, a production order was set in motion to cover the needs of the entire population.
Normally, there is no great spread of influenza during the summer. Swedish authorities are therefore working on the assumption that if any major spread is going to occur, that will not be until the autumn. You can read more on the website of the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen). See link on the right.
Why should one get vaccinated if this influenza is not all that dangerous?
It is important that as many people as possible, preferably everybody, gets vaccinated. This is so as to protect those who are at risk of becoming seriously ill and those who for various reasons cannot get vaccinated. If many people get vaccinated, the spread of the infection will slow down, which increases the chances of keeping important services going, such as the medical services, communications, schools, and the energy supply.
Can one buy influenza vaccine or medicine on the Internet?
Sometimes you may come across medicines like Tamiflu® or Relenza® on the Internet. The Stockholm Health Care Guide, Vårdguiden, strongly advises against buying medicines or vaccine on the Internet. The vaccine that is available there has not been checked, and it can contain just anything.
The Swedish Medical Products Agency recommends that you buy your medicines only at the shops of the National Pharmacies, Apoteket AB. You can read more on the website of the Medical Products Agency, Läkemedelsverket, as indicated by the link on the right.
Are there any medicines that can cure the new influenza or reduce the effects of it?
The two anti-virus medicines Tamiflu® and Relenza® do have an effect on the new virus.
Anti-virus medicines are always prescribed by a doctor. Doctors have been given recommendations by the Stockholm County Council health authority as to when these medicines are to be used. It is above all the people in the risk groups (see above) who need treatment with anti-virus medicines.
What are the differences between vaccination and medicines against a virus?
Vaccination makes one immune (becoming resistant) to a particular virus, which means that one can stand up to that virus without becoming infected. The vaccine contains weakened or dead parts of the virus, which is not infectious any more.
The length of time that the protection given by the vaccine will last depends on the disease and the vaccine. For influenza, you have to be vaccinated every year. The vaccine against the new influenza will be given in two doses at an interval of about 3–4 weeks.
An anti-virus medicine prevents the virus in an infected person from spreading from the infected cells to healthy cells. This stops the course of the disease.
In some cases, it may be necessary to take the medicine beforehand, as a prevention to reduce the risk of the disease breaking out.
When the medicine is given as treatment for an already existing infection, the body starts developing immunity, and the infected person has some protection against the virus for the future. On the other hand, anyone who has taken the medicine to prevent infection beforehand is once more open to infection as soon as they stop taking the medicine.
If a person has to take an anti-virus medicine as a preventive measure for a long time - several months - the risk of side effects and resistance increases even further.
Will it cost anything if I have to seek medical care for the new influenza?
No. Examination, care and treatment for new new influenza are free of charge for the patient. But in most cases there is no need to seek medical care. The new influenza is mostly no worse than an ordinary autumn flu. Call Vårdguiden at 08-320 100 for advice if you get worse, have difficulties breathing or if the high temperature is not down after a week.
Always call your health care center or emergency ward before your visit!
The new influenza is a pandemic. What does this mean?
A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread to large areas of the world, when a further spread is to be expected. This disease is not, however, being considered as more serious than before.
Asking for advice
If you have any questions, you can at any time of the day or night contact a nurse via the Internet, and get a personal answer within two hours: log on to "Mina vårdkontakter". Click on the link, above right.
You can also at any time of the day or night talk with a nurse and get advice: phone Vårdguiden on 08-320 100. The staff answering the phone can also tell you who your family doctor is.
In other languages:
- For advice in Arabic, phone 08-528 528 38.
- For advice in Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian, phone 08-528 528 96.
