Stay home if you fall ill
A fever, cough, sore throat, bodily aches and pains and a headache are common flu symptoms. The risk of spreading the flu before you have symptoms is considered to be low.
When you are ill, you should avoid meeting many other people to prevent the spread of disease. Once your symptoms have subsided and your general condition is good, you can return to work, school or pre-school. A good rule of thumb is to stay home at least one day after your fever subsides.
Remember to cough and sneeze in the bend of your arm or in a paper tissue that your throw in the bin right away. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol hand rubs are a good supplement.
Self-care
Do not contact the healthcare services if you are mildly ill. Just like the regular flu, self-care is most often enough. Symptoms can be alleviated with non-prescription fever medicines and pain relievers such as Alvedon and Panodil. Drink lots of fluids and get rest.
When should you seek care?
The warning signs below can quickly lead to very serious illness. Contact the Healthcare Hotline (Sjukvårdsrådgivningen) at the phone number 1177 or call 112 if you or somebody else has any of the following symptoms:
- The onset of difficulty breathing, such as not getting enough air or rapid breathing faster than 30 breaths/min.
- Bluish tingeing of the skin
- Coughing up blood or discoloured phlegm
- Chest pains
- Signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth and uncommonly little urination
- Recurrent vomiting or difficulties drinking enough fluids
- Convulsions
- Being affected mentally, such as not reacting normally (reduced degree of awareness) or seeming confused
- A high fever, above 39 degrees, for more than three days
- Low blood pressure, such as dizziness or faintness
There are more warning signs in children: rapid breathing, lethargy, being difficult to rouse or having little or no desire to play.
If you fall ill with the flu and are pregnant or have any of the following diseases:
- chronic cardiovascular disease
- chronic lung disease (such as asthma with daily medication)
- diabetes
- a suppressed immune system including HIV
- neuromuscular disease
- kidney or liver failure
- children with CP or multifunctional disease
- extreme obesity (greatest risk with a BMI over 40),
contact the Healthcare Hotline (Sjukvårdsrådgivningen) at 1177. The same applies to children under the age of two who come down with the flu.
