The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently issued guidelines to primary care providers (PCPs) regarding antiviral treatment of novel influenza A (H1N1), as well as other influenza strains.  This is the first flu pandemic to strike in over 41 years, and cases have been confirmed in over 100 countries.  

A vaccine for H1N1 is not yet ready, but is expected to be ready by the fall.  The CDC, “has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. We do not expect that there will be a shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine, but availability and demand can be unpredictable. There is some possibility that initially the vaccine will be available in limited quantities. In this setting, the committee recommended that the following groups receive the vaccine before others: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel with direct patient contact, children 6 months through 4 years of age, and children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions.”

Where vaccines work to prevent infection in the first place, antivirals are drugs given to treat people who have already been infected.  Once the antiviral medications for H1N1 are available, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that “at-risk” patients (such as pregnant women, neonates and patients less than 5 years old) with confirmed, or strongly suspected, H1N1 2009  be treated ASAP.  Other “at-risk” groups include patients over the age of 65, nursing home residents, and patients who are either immunosuppressed or who have chronic illnesses.  Other patients with confirmed cases of H1N1 should also be treated with antiviral therapy.

In order to stop the spread of the disease to your family, friends and community, it is recommended that everyone follow a few, simple, common sense actions:

• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Then, throw the tissue you used to do that in the trash can.  
• Wash your hands, often, with soap and water, but especially after you sneeze or cough.  You need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds (the ‘ol Happy Birthday song is about that long).  
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth at all costs.  
• STAY HOME IF YOU GET SICK.  C’mon folks.