ANNAPOLIS, Md. (December 29, 2014)—Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) is currently experiencing a high volume of patients with influenza (flu). In order to reduce the spread of flu, we are limiting hospital visitors in the following ways:
- People under age 18 should not visit.
- People experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms should not visit.
Flu Symptoms
You may have the flu if you have some or all of these symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Body aches and chills
- Headache
- Fatigue
Fighting the Flu
- Stay home and get plenty of rest.
- Drink clear fluids to keep from getting dehydrated.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes to prevent spreading flu to others.
Most people with the flu have do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people.
If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group contact your healthcare provider. Certain people are at high risk of serious flu-related complications including young children, people 65 and older, pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions.
The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill. If you go to the emergency room and you are not sick with the flu, you may catch it from people who do have it.
If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, you should go to the emergency room. Emergency warning signs in children:
- Fast eathing or trouble eathing
- 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
Emergency warning in adults:
- Difficulty eathing or shortness of eath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
It’s not too late for community members to get a flu vaccine if they have not already. Click here for vaccine clinic locations in Anne Arundel County: http://www.aahealth.org/index.php For more information about the flu, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s web site: http://www.cdc.gov
