Help Keep Rehabilitation Progress On-Track

Stay Healthy this Flu Season

With the flu season upon us, RIC is taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of our patients, visitors and employees. This flu season is complicated by the arrival of the H1N1 influenza strain – commonly referred to as the “swine flu” – which is prevalent around the world and nation, including Illinois. This flu season demands extra vigilance on everyone’s part to keep RIC a safe place for rehabilitation. Here are ways that you can help control the spread of influenza and trusted resources to help answer your questions.

Vaccinations

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Vaccination is the best protection against contracting the flu.” Vaccinations are strongly recommended for several groups who are at higher risk for contracting an influenza strain:

• Healthcare workers
• Young Adults and Children (ages 6 months to 24 years)
• Pregnant women
• Households/caregivers with children under 6 months of age
• Persons with medical conditions associated with influenza complications
• People 50 years of age and older

As many of our employees, patients and visitors are considered at high risk, RIC offers our employees free vaccinations and strongly encourages all staff members to receive vaccinations for both the seasonal and H1N1 flu viruses. Our goal is to vaccinate 100 percent of direct caregivers.

RIC inpatients should speak with their RIC physician, nurse or primary care physicians about flu vaccinations, and visitors and outpatients should consult with their primary care physicians.

The Three Cs

In addition to vaccinations, RIC endorses the Illinois Department of Public Health’s everyday-strategy to preventing the spread of flu with the three Cs:

• Cover (your cough and sneeze)
• Clean (your hands)
• Contain (your germs – stay home if you are sick)

Take Control of Your Health

Know flu-like symptoms…

• Fever (usually 100-103 degrees in adults, often higher in children)
• Respiratory Symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose)
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Extreme fatigue

…and Take Action

• Patients and Visitors: Patients and visitors with flu-like symptoms should return/stay home until symptoms have resolved. Call (800) 354-7342 to reschedule appointments.
• RIC Employees: For employees, contact RIC Staff Nurse, Kim Dellutri, at (312) 238-6296; all employees with flu-like symptoms should return/stay home until cleared by the RIC Staff Nurse

Additional Precautions

All RIC sites of care are fully equipped with protective equipment to prevent the spread of disease: we urge you to use these tools. Equipment includes face masks, tissues and alcohol-based rubbing foam or gel. These items may be found at check-in desks at all RIC sites of care. If you are not able to locate these items, please ask an RIC staff member for assistance.

Resources

For more information on the seasonal flu virus and H1N1 flu virus, here are some trusted health resources that we recommend:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Seasonal flu & H1N1 flu

Illinois Department of Public Health - Seasonal flu & H1N1 flu

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services flu Web site