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Find the answers you're looking for regarding H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu).

The Current H1N1 Flu Outbreak


As a global leader in OTC cough, cold, and flu medications, Vicks® is committed to helping educate people around the world on the current H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) so they can take appropriate steps to safeguard their health. Vicks, along with its worldwide team of medical and health advisors, recommends first and foremost that anyone with a concern about possible H1N1 Flu exposure or symptoms seek the opinion of a medical professional or reputable health authority.

As a trusted voice in maintaining good health, Vicks wants to remind everyone to practice fundamentals that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause illnesses. These include:
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Hand sanitizers that have been proven to be effective at deactivating/killing viruses and germs are also recommended.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • If you get sick with influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
The H1N1 Flu outbreak is a cause for concern and proper planning, but not for undue alarm. Please continue to monitor updates from public health officials or agencies for new developments.

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The CDC's Top Flu Prevention Tips


Here are the top five things the CDC recommends you should do to lower the risk of getting H1N1 or the flu:1

  1. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
  2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  3. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  5. If you are sick, stay home until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
Click here for more information on cough and cold etiquette.

1 Cover Your Cough. Accessed 7 Oct. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/covercough.htm

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The H1N1 Basics


People are saying a lot of different things about H1N1 and the seasonal flu. Make sure you know what is fact and what is fiction.

What is H1N1 (swine flu)?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2009 H1N1 (referred to as "swine flu") is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spread from person-to-person contact worldwide, the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 flu was underway. This virus was originally referred to as "swine flu" because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs (swine) in North America.1

How does H1N1 compare to the seasonal flu in terms of its severity and
infection rates?

With seasonal flu, we know that seasons vary in terms of timing, duration, and severity. Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year in the United States, on average, 36,000 people die from flu-related complications, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. More than 90 percent of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalizations occur in people older than 65.

When the 2009 H1N1 outbreak was first detected in mid-April 2009, the CDC began working with states to collect, compile, and analyze information regarding the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak, including the numbers of confirmed and probable cases and the ages of these people. The information analyzed by CDC supports the conclusion that 2009 H1N1 flu has caused greater disease burden in people younger than 25 years of age than older people. At this time, there are few cases and few deaths reported in people older than 64 years old, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu. However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high-risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this 2009 H1N1. These underlying conditions include asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders, and pregnancy.1

1 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You. Accessed 17 Sept. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm#d


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H1N1 Myths vs. Facts


I already received the seasonal flu shot, so I don't need the H1N1 vaccine, too.
False - The H1N1 influenza virus is a new strain that has never before circulated among the human population and cannot be treated with the seasonal flu vaccine. Individuals should continue to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine, while also seeking other treatment for the 2009 H1N1 virus.1

Symptoms of the H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu are very similar and are difficult
to differentiate.
True - Symptoms of the H1N1 flu are similar to the seasonal flu and can include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue, and sometimes nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. You should seek the advice of a medical professional or reputable public health authority or agency regarding the steps you should take if you think you may be suffering from the H1N1 flu.2

I should wait 24 hours after I feel better to go back to work.
True - The 2009 H1N1 virus can be spread to others one day prior to seeing symptoms, and up to five to seven days after. The virus can be contagious much longer in some people, especially children and individuals with weakened immune systems. If you experience flu-like illness, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.3

I caught swine flu from a pig at a petting zoo and eating pork chops for dinner.
False - H1N1 flu is thought to be spread in the same manner as the seasonal flu. Touching your own eyes, mouth, or nose after inhaling germs spread by an infected person or touching surfaces on which the virus is present can lead to contracting the virus. The 2009 H1N1 virus is not spread between pigs and humans or by food, including pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.4

I should wear a surgical mask at all times to protect myself from contracting H1N1.
False - While it may sound like a good idea, surgical masks are not designed or certified to prevent the inhalation of small airborne viruses and diseases. In fact, it is possible that airborne H1N1 viruses can pass through the gaps between the face and the surgical mask, thus infecting the mask wearer.5

1 Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccines Questions and Answers. Accessed 17 Sept. 2009. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm182335.htm
2 Vicks H1N1 Information. Accessed 21 Sept. 2009. http://www.vicks.com/stay-well/swine-flu
3 H1N1 Flu. Accessed 17 Sept. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/exclusion.htm
4 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You. Accessed 17 Sept. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm#d
5 OSHA Fact Sheet. Accessed 18 Sept. 2009. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/respirators-vs-surgicalmasks-factsheet.html

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