What you need to know |
Q: My child has to stay away from school for a week as we've just returned from Australia. But he is not ill. Must he stay home the whole time?
A: No. As long as he is well, he can carry on life as normal. But if he starts showing symptoms, take him to a doctor and keep him away from others.
Q: What are the symptoms of H1N1 flu?
A: They are pretty much the same as those for normal flu, but not everyone shows all the symptoms. They include a fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, muscle ache, headache, fatigue and lack of appetite.
Q: I have most of the symptoms, but no fever. That means I do not have H1N1, right?
A: Wrong. Only half of the people infected by the H1N1 virus have a high fever of 37.8 deg Celsius or above. One in 10 does not have any fever at all and a third have only a mild fever.
Q: Is it true that once I recover and feel well, I'm no longer infectious?
A: Experts do not know how long a person stays infectious. Some patients who appear perfectly well still have viral particles. On average, patients stop being infectious after seven days, though a few might remain infectious for up to a fortnight.
Q: I have recovered from H1N1. Can I catch it again?
A: Once you have been infected, you gain life-long immunity, but only if the virus does not change. If the virus mutates, you might still have acquired some immunity, so if you catch it again, your illness might not be as severe.
Q: I hear that you catch H1N1 flu only if an infected person sneezes or coughs near you.
A: Wrong. The virus remains alive on many surfaces for several hours. If an infected person who has some of the virus on his fingers presses a lift button, and you press that button a little later, the virus could stick to your finger. If you then rub your nose or touch your eyes, it could infect you.
Q: You mean I can get infected even if I am nowhere near an infected person? Then how do I protect myself?
A: Keep your hands clean. Wash them regularly or use a hand sanitiser. Try not to touch your face unnecessarily.
Q: I'm in a crowded MRT train and the person standing in front of me is sneezing. What should I do?
A: Offer him a clean tissue if he is not using one. Turn your face away when he sneezes. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue.
Q: How far away do I need to be from someone who is sneezing, if I want to be safe?
A: Generally, droplets spray out a metre. But a fan or air-conditioning could spread them out a little further. The droplets fall to the ground and do not remain suspended in the air.
Q: How often do I need to use a hand sanitiser?
A: The more often you use it, the cleaner you are. But the rule of thumb is to use a sanitiser when you feel your hands have been exposed to a questionable surface and you cannot wash your hands. Suspect surfaces include supermarket trolley handles, which studies have shown to be chock-full of germs.
Q: I'm on home quarantine. What must my family members and I do to prevent the infection from spreading to them?
A: Ideally, you should have your own room and toilet/bath facilities. If that is not possible, wear a mask if you need to be in a common area of the house near other people.
Always cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Make sure your hands are clean when you touch surfaces that others might touch - such as the toilet flush handle.
Your family members should wash their hands frequently.
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