PGSC: News: H1N1 Flu – Information for Associations, Coaches, Parents and Players

NC Youth Soccer wants our members to work together to fight the spread of the H1N1 Flu! We want to take precautions to help protect players, coaches, parents and administrators. Most importantly, we are asking our member associations, coaches and teams to follow the guidelines laid out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 100% of the flu virus moving about at this time is the H1N1 novel flu virus. Persons with flu-like symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny and/or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and fever of 100 degrees or greater, even diarrhea or vomiting, likely have the H1N1 virus. According to the CDC, it is expected that most person will recover from H1N1 infection without needing medical care.

At this time, the best thing someone can do to help keep this illness from affecting the team is STAY HOME WHEN SICK so the flu is not spread to others. It is suggested that players, coaches and parents be required to stay home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen). If a player does have the flu, please ask the parent to contact the coach so he/she can make the other team members aware and parents can be on the watch for flu symptoms. (A coach should also contact the team members if he/she has the flu.) The coach/association should understand that a player with the flu will be out 5-7 days at a minimum if they have the H1N1 flu. If you would like additional information concerning the flu, visit www.flu.gov.

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).

Avoid Contact With Others

If you are sick, you may be ill for a week or longer. You should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible, including avoiding travel and not going to school, soccer games/practice or parents to work, 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 fever-reducing medicine.) If you leave the house to seek medical care, wear a facemask, if available and tolerable, and cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. In general, you should avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness, especially people at increased risk of severe illness from influenza. With seasonal flu, people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. People infected with the novel H1N1 are likely to have similar patterns of infectiousness as with seasonal flu.

Emergency Warning Signs

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