Influenza 101: What you need to know
USA Health wants to ensure staff and others who work or spend time within our facilities take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread of flu.
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.
USA Health wants to ensure staff and others who work or spend time within our facilities take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread of flu. Here are answers to some common employee questions about the flu with questions answered by Teresa M. Aikens, RN, MSN, CIC, nurse manager for Infection Prevention/Control and Employee Occupational Healthat University Hospital.
Q. What should an employee, volunteer or student who works at USA Health do when they are diagnosed with the flu?
A. It’s recommended that all employees with a confirmed flu diagnosis should be treated with Tamiflu to shorten the duration of the illness and lessen the symptoms of the flu. Do not come to work if you are ill.
Q. Speaking of returning to work following the flu, when can an employee come back to work?
A. Employees with the flu diagnosis must wait until they are free of fever for 24 hours (without any fever-reducing medication). Upon return to work, they must wear a mask for the first 7 days because they can potentially shed the virus and infect others.
Q. Is wearing a mask for seven days after having the flu a new policy?
A. Yes. It was added in 2019 after recommendation and approval by the USA Health Infection Prevention and Review Committee.
Q. What will happen if an employee doesn’t wear the mask as prescribed?
A. If they return to work, the policy must be followed for the safety of everyone. Employees can be disciplined for not following any USA Health policy. Another option would be that they could spend the additional days at home on PTO.
Q. What constitutes a fever for adults?
A. A person's temperature can vary from 97o to 99oF. To remain cautious, "fever" would be considered a temperature higher than 99.5oF.
Q. Where can employees get the masks?
A. Masks are available throughout the hospital. If the employee has trouble locating a mask, contact Infection Prevention or their supervisor.
Q. Is wearing a mask only for employees who work directly with patients?
A. No, this applies to all employees because they could infect co-workers.
Q. Do these flu protocols apply to medical students or other students?
A. If they are in our facility, they need to be compliant with the policy as they could infect patients and hospital employees.
Q. Where can flu patients be treated quickly within USA Health?
A. As with any illness, they should contact their primary care physician or any urgent care facility during the first signs of illness for antiviral medications to be effective. If they are experiencing severe illness in need of hospitalization, such as patients with multiple medical problems or severe respiratory distress, then an emergency room visit may be indicated. Most individuals with the flu can be cared for at home, and the best advice for almost everyone is to stay at home away from people. Also, always try to cover your cough and use good hand hygiene.
