For Patients and Visitors
Health Alerts
H1N1 (Swine) Flu News and Resources
Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital is closely monitoring recent flu activity in our area and following recommendations by our local, state and federal health agencies. We are working closely with the Yakima Health District, Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to keep you informed with the latest information.
Visitation Policy:
To help reduce the spread of the influenza virus, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital is limiting visitors at this time. We are currently treating patients with seasonal and H1N1 influenza. Our efforts are to protect visitors, patients, families, staff, and physicians from possible exposure to the flu virus while at the hospital as well as to protect our patients from virus coming from outside of the hospital.
- Please do not bring children under the age of 14 to the hospital at this time.
- We ask that no more than two guests visit a patient at one time.
How do I what type of flu I have?
Prevention,, symptoms, and treatment for H1N1 and seasonal flu are the same. Because treatment does not change, only individuals being hospitalized are being tested to determine which strain of flu they may have.
What should I do if I have flu symptoms?
In most cases, the best treatment is to stay home and get plenty of fluids and rest. Some individuals are at higher risk for complications from the flu virus and these individuals should contact their primary care provider if they have flu-like symptoms. These individuals include:
- Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
- Adults 65 years and older
- pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks from end of pregnancy
- People with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart failure, chronic lung disease) and people with a weak immune system (such as diabetes, HIV)
- People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
There is no medication that will cure the flu. However antiviral medication can lessen the severity of the flu and prevent more serious complications for high risk patients. At this time, the use of anti-viral medication is reserved for people who are hospitalized or people in this high risk category who are sick with flu. Most healthy people with flu do not need to be treated with antiviral drugs.
What are "emergency warning signs" that should signal someone to seek emergency medical care?
In children:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
In adults:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu Vaccinations
We recommend all eligible individuals receive vaccines for both seasonal and H1N1 flu. As healthcare workers, YVMH staff has been encouraged to receive both the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines as they become available. We have requested that staff not yet vaccinated, or choosing not to be vaccinated, wear a mask when treating patients. This is for both the safety of our patients as well as for those staff members.
There are separate vaccines for the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu this year. Seasonal flu vaccines are appropriate for anyone age 6 months and above. H1N1 vaccine is currently limited to the following target groups:
- pregnant women
- people who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and day care providers),
- health care and emergency medical services personnel,
- People 6 months through 24 years of age (especially those with higher risk for influenza-related complications like children younger than 5 years and those who have high risk medical conditions), and,
- People 25 years through 64 years of age who have certain medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.
At Memorial, we are only providing vaccine to our staff and hospitalized patients that fall into these target groups as it becomes available. The Yakima Health District has a listing of locations they are providing with Seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccine to the general public.
Prevent the Spread of Flu
H1N1 flu (or "swine flu") is a new influenza virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person the same way that regular seasonal flu viruses spread. People who are infected can spread the virus when they cough or sneeze. Sometimes, people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their eyes, mouth or nose.
H1N1 flu does not seem to be stronger than seasonal flu, but because it's a new strain, few people have any immunity to it. This means the virus can spread easily and infect a lot of people. This makes it more likely that people at high risk for serious complications from the flu will get it. The best prevention is to receive the vaccine when it becomes available, however some simple prevention techniques can do a lot to help stop the spread of the flu.
- Wash your own and your child's hands often with soap and warm water. Alcohol-based hand cleansers also work. Children should sing their ABCs twice in a row while washing their hands to ensure the proper length of time.
- Avoid people who are sick.
- People with the flu should stay home from work or school. They should stay home while they are sick and for at least one day after they no longer have a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
- Cover noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing: use tissue or the crook of your elbow when you cough or sneeze and throw the tissue away in a covered trash bin.
- Remind children to keep their hands away from their face to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
- Clean shared spaces often, including phone receivers, keyboards, steering wheels and office equipment.
- Avoid sharing personal items such as forks, spoons, toothbrushes and towels.
- The single best way to prevent the flu is to get the vaccines.
Health Alert Resources
If an emergency situation arises this page will contain safety and emergency preparedness information designed to inform and educate you and your family regarding appropriate measures to take during an emergency situation.
To aid in your emergency preparedness efforts please visit the following links:
Ready.gov: Get a kit, make a plan, stay informed.
FEMA: Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (IS-22) is FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family, and community preparedness. The guide has been revised, updated, and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.
CDC: Emergency Preparedness & Response This site is intended to increase the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.
