Flu season is November to April, is unpredictable, and is an infection to be respected.

Regular flu symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, cough, weakness

H1 N1 Symptoms (many people have no fever and have gastro-intestinal symptoms):
Children:
• Fast or troubled breathing
• Bluish or grey skin colour
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up, not interacting, lethargy
• Flu like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Adults:
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Bluish or grey skin color
• Bloody or colored sputum
• Chest pains
• Sudden dizziness or confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• High fever lasting more than 3 days
• Flu like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Low blood pressure

Precautionary Measures
• Wash you hands frequently with warm water and soap, or use the alcohol based hand sanitizer frequently (particularly after every customer).
• When available, consider having your flu shot, particularly the H1N1 flu shot which will be available later this year (November?) –as health care workers you will be in the priority group and these are free to opticians.
• Use the disinfectant wipes on the pupillometer in front of the customer before and after its use, periodically wipe door handles, calculators, keyboards, and telephones – flu viruses can survive on surfaces for several hours.
• If you feel sick or unwell (fever, aching, diarrhea), stay home and get rest, drink fluids. If symptoms persist consult your doctor. You can infect others from 1 day before you show symptoms to 7 days afterwards. Stay home 24 hours after a fever. No-one will thank you for giving them the flu at work.
• Avoid close contact with sick people – if you are sick keep your distance from others. If you have a family member at home with flu, monitor your health every day and take precautions including washing your hands frequently with warm water and soap.
• When coughing or sneezing, preferably cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and dispose of immediately, otherwise sneeze and cough into your elbow.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
If you are concerned about a customer’s health, you are not expected to have close contact with a customer that you think is sick – speak to your supervisor.