What is the flu?
Influenza (known commonly as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Infection with this virus can cause illness resulting in mild to severe symptoms with life-threatening complications. An estimated 10-20% of the U.S. population gets the flu each year, with an average of 114,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths.
Symptoms
Symptoms include fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny and/or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Gastro-intestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are much more common in children than adults.
How is it spread?
The flu virus is spread from person to person through respiratory droplets by coughing or sneezing. It can also happen when touching the hand of someone with these droplets present, and touching your own nose or mouth before washing your hands.
How can I prevent the flu?
The single best way to prevent the flu is through vaccination.
On-Site Flu Clinics
Flu Clinic Services
Each year Passport Health conducts on-site flu clinics for corporations, churches and schools. No clinic is too large or too small for us. Our RN’s will arrive early at your site, set up quickly, and start your clinic on time. Our service is professional and courteous. We will never cancel a clinic due to lack of flu vaccine and our service does not end with your on-site clinic. If someone misses the clinic, vouchers can be purchased so that person can receive a shot at one of our other locations.
Scheduling
We schedule on a first come, first served basis, with our returning clients receiving our first consideration. The optimal time for scheduling clinics is late September through December. We are anxious to accommodate your first choice for dates, so please call soon! 1-800-839-4007
Prices are available upon request! Due to the fact that there are Passport Health affiliates in major cities across the country, we are happy to negotiate contracts on a nationwide basis.
H1N1
The NEW FLU virus that has so many names (Influenza A (H1N1)), North-American Influenza, and swine flu appears to be a result of “an unusually mongrelized mix of genetic sequences” [1], so there is concern about how it will evolve. The CDC continues to monitor the situation around the world. The extent of possible mutations and then the degree of virulence of the mutated strain is the cause for concern since it is unknown. A proactive response versus reactive response is prudent. Precautions that should be used for the H1N1 flu are the usual standard precautions for flu protection that include good handwashing technique, covering our mouth when coughing or sneezing and restricting one’s hands from touching our eyes, nose and mouth. Living here in the United States we also need to know that the symptoms of H1H1 are the usual flu symptoms. So, if we experience headache, fever, malaise, cough, congestion, and in some cases of H1N1 there have been symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, we are instructed by the CDC to stay home or if traveling abroad, stay in your hotel room for seven days from the onset of symptoms. Circulating among people and especially being on an airplane will transmit this contagious illness. Wearing a face mask is recommended if one must be among other people in order to seek medical attention.
At Passport Health, we are working with manufacturers of the H1N1 flu vaccine and as soon as there is a time table for product completion, Passport Health will make the vaccine available to the public at our (8) eight offices along with on-site clinics.
