If a health care provider has determined that you or a loved one has H1N1, safe home care can speed up the recovery. While H1N1 flu is different from seasonal flu, some symptoms are similar, such as fever, cough, sore throat, chills and fatigue. Severity can vary from mild to severe.

H1N1 is spread from person to person and, occasionally, by touching something with the virus on its surface.

• Make sure everyone in the household cleans their hands often

• Check with your health care provider to see if the caregiver or other household members should take antivirals to prevent the flu

• Use paper towels for drying hands after washing, or dedicate a different cloth towel to the infected person

• Clean surfaces with a household disinfectant

• Throw away tissues and other used disposable items in the trash, and thoroughly wash hands after touching them

• Linens, eating utensils and dishes belonging to the sick person don’t need to be cleaned separately, but never share them without washing first

• Eating utensils should be washed in a dishwasher or by hand with soap and hot water

• Wash bed sheets and towels by using regular laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Clean your hands right after handling dirty laundry

• Limit the number of visitors and avoid face-to-face contact

• The sick person should wear a loose-fitting surgical mask, if in contact with others, found at pharmacies or hardware stores. Caregivers should always wear a mask to prevent getting and spreading the illness

  • An N95 respirator fits snugly over your face and filters out small particles that can be inhaled around the edges of a face mask

  • Most N95 respirators available at local hardware stores or pharmacies have been certified by the federal government to filter the air you breathe

  • Wear an N95 respirator if the sick person uses an inhaler or nebulizer

  • Used disposable face masks and N95 respirators should be taken off and immediately thrown in the trash. Avoid re-using

  • More information on face masks and respirators and H1N1 can be found at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu and www.nyhealth.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/h1h1. The H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available in the fall.

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