Planning for H1N1 Flu Outbreak
CityBus has put together a plan to ensure that essential services can continue during a possible outbreak of H1N1 or "swine" flu. The plan includes several resources for CityBus riders and employees:
- How the flu virus spreads
- Symptoms and treatment
- How to prevent infection
- What to do if you become infected
Maintaining essential services
CityBus' plan includes the possibility of emergency reductions of some services in order to maintain more essential services, if reduced demand, employee absenteeism, or supply-chain concerns impact CityBus' ability to operate the full schedule. CityBus reassures our customers that we are committed to maintaining our service to the public, and reductions would be necessary only in the worst-case.
Riders can keep informed about any possible service reductions by monitoring notices inside of the bus ("Rider Alerts" posted near the front of the bus), or by subscribing to our e-mail listserve ("CityBus Club Yahoo Group") or Facebook. See Online Networking for details.
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The virus of primary concern is H1N1, otherwise known as “swine flu.” H1N1 (and other influenza viruses) are transmitted from person to person through tiny droplets of mucus or saliva. These droplets carry the virus through the air when infected persons cough or sneeze, and can be inhaled by other people. Another means of transmission takes place when healthy people touch surfaces contaminated by the virus (after, for example, being coughed on or touched by a sick person), then touch their nose, mouth or eyes.
This information comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The incubation period for the flu is normally 24-48 hours, and the contagious period lasts for seven days after the onset of symptoms. Symptoms calling for medical treatment vary by age:
For infants and children, treatment should be sought with any of the following symptoms:
- Fast or troubled breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking or interacting
- Being so irritable that the child doesn't want to be held
- Flulike symptoms that improve but then return with fever and a worse cough
- Fever with a rash
For adults, look for:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler). If you get sick, such antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms)
Flu Shots
The World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC recommend that all persons get a flu shot, even though the flu shot does not protect specifically against H1N1 infection. The current seasonal influenza vaccine is targeted against specific influenza strains predicted from the previous year. Experts say getting a flu shot can reduce your risk of becoming ill with the more common flu. Staying healthy, in turn, will make you less vulnerable to other viruses that may come along, including H1N1. A vaccination against typical seasonal flu also will give the H1N1 less chance to mutate into a virus easily spread from human to human. Mutations can occur when a person who is already ill with the seasonal flu comes in contact with the swine flu virus, allowing the two viruses to exchange genes.
Prevention Measures
Proper hand washing and germ control are especially important in preventing illness, such as flu, from being passed person to person. If you do not wash your hands frequently, you are likely to pick up germs, and then infect yourself when you touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
As with most viruses, flu is spread in several ways: orally, by ingestion, by inhalation, or by splashing contamination on abraded skin or into puncture wounds. To prevent spread:
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Cough into your sleeve or a tissue to avoid spreading germs. Do not cough into your hands.
- Put tissue in a wastebasket.
- Wash your hands with soap under warm running water for 20 seconds and rinse hands well. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and turn the knob on the door handle.
- Hand sanitizer foam dispensers are installed inside all buses near the front of the bus, for use by passengers and employees.
- Avoid contact with people who are ill.
What do if you become infected
If you are ill with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue and body aches, the best thing you can do to avoid spreading the virus is to stay home and isolate yourself from others until 24 hours after fever subsides. If symptoms worsen, contact your health care provider.
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