With flu circulating widely in the community, Canterbury DHB has some simple tips for how you can stop the spread, and look after yourselves and your whānau if you do get sick.
Stop the spread
If you or your whānau are feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms such as a fever, headache, muscle aches, shivering, and a dry cough:
1. Stay at home
2. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your inner elbow
3. Wash and dry hands often, or use hand sanitiser
Treat the symptoms at home
Most of the time, the symptoms of flu can be managed at home.
Canterbury DHB has produced the ‘Coping with the flu at home’ brochure, containing practical advice for caring for someone with the flu, such as:
- how to treat the symptoms at home
- danger signs to look out for, especially in young children/babies
- when to seek medical advice and where to go.
The brochure is available online in the following languages: English, Māori, Hindi, Korean, Samoan, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Tagalog.
Where to seek help
If you are concerned about you or your whānau’s symptoms, call your general practice team 24/7 for advice rather than visiting in person. After hours, follow the instructions to be put through to a nurse for free health advice.
Avoid the hospital unless it is an emergency.
Update on the flu vaccine
Thanks to a great response from Cantabrians, flu vaccine supplies are now limited but they are still available from GPs and some pharmacists for the following priority groups:
- people over 65
- pregnant women (any stage of pregnancy)
- those with long-term health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes respiratory disease (including asthma that requires regular preventive therapy), kidney disease and most cancers
- children aged four years and under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness.