Press Release

What You Need to Know About the Flu

There are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself and others from getting the flu this season. First, is to get immunized when the H1N1 vaccine becomes available. The Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently allocating the H1N1 vaccine to initiate vaccinations for target groups, which include:

Pregnant women
People between the ages of 6 months and 24 years
Caregivers for children less than 6 months
Healthcare workers and emergency medical service personnel
People between the ages of 25-64 with underlying medical conditions

H1N1 Vaccine Availability
If you are in the above priority groups, please contact your physician office to inquire about vaccine availability.

The DuPage County Health Department has also established several H1N1 Vaccine Clinics that are now accepting appointments for those who fall in the priority groups. Click here for information on making an appointment.

In addition to the public health clinics and physician offices, the H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available at retail pharmacies in the coming weeks. Click here to view a list of additional sites.

Know What to Look For

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines the symptoms of H1N1 as being:

Fever of greater than 100
AND
Cough and/or sore throat.

If you have developed the above symptoms, contact your personal healthcare provider.

Check Your Symptoms With an Online Self-Assessment
An interactive Web site has been designed to advise patients based on the severity of their symptoms. Using an online assessment tool licensed by Emory University, Microsoft's H1N1 Response Center aims to help determine whether or not symptoms are consistent with the H1N1 virus and if medical help is needed.

Click here to take the self-assessment.