H1N1 Symptoms

The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with novel H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time, but it’s possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu include people age 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are immunosuppressed (e.g., taking immunosuppressive medications, infected with HIV).

What should I do if I get sick?

If you do develop flu-like symptoms — fever, headache, body aches, coughing and sore throat — we encourage you to seek a doctor’s treatment. If you live on campus, visit the Health Center or tell your RA, head resident or a friend to report your symptoms to the Health Center so that we can make sure you receive proper care.

When possible, we are recommending that students who live in Nashville or within a reasonable driving distance of campus that develop H1N1 or other forms of the flu to recover at home and to consult with their personal physician for medical advice.

For students who become ill but who can’t feasibly return home to recover, we have reserved several residential dorm rooms for your use as you recover on campus. Recovering in these reserved dorm rooms help provide social distancing as recommended by the CDC to limit further spread of the illness. For students who are recovering on campus, we have assembled a team who will assist you with daily services needed as you recover.

If you should need medical care after hours or on the weekend, several clinics are located near campus.

Green Hills Medical Center
(615) 292-0012
2001 Glen Echo Road
Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday

TN Urgent Care Associates
615-356-6877
339 White Bridge Road (near Target)
Hours 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday

If you develop the flu or flu-like symptoms we ask that you follow the CDC’s advice to stay home and avoid unnecessary contact with others until you register a temperature of less than 100 degrees F for 24 hours without medication.

CDC Recommendations

If you live in areas where people have been identified with novel H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Are there medicines to treat novel H1N1 infection?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with novel H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current pandemic, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs is to treat severe influenza illness (for example hospitalized patients) and people who are sick who have a condition that places them at high risk for serious flu-related complications.

For more information visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.