Flu: Prevention, Treatment and When to Seek Medical Care

Protect yourself and your family from the flu and other viruses 

Download a printable flyer of the information below (2 sided flyer in color - in Adobe Acrobat/PDF format)

Virus Prevention

• Get vaccinated for the flu now - & your kids too! Request a flu appointment online
  
  
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
  Use a tissue and dispose of tissue immediately after use.
  Or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
  
  
• Clean your hands and under your nails often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners, especially after a cough or sneeze. 
  
  
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  
  
• Stay at home if you are sick &  avoid close contact with sick people. 
  
  
• Clean & disinfect surfaces.
  
  

Flu Treatment

Symptoms of the flu
 •  Fever
 •  Headache
 •  Muscle aches
 •  Extreme tiredness
 •  Dry cough
 • Sore throat
 • Runny or stuffy nose
 • Stomach symptoms - nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

Treat the flu at home
•  Stay at home, rest and avoid close contact with others. Stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.
 •  Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
 •  Fevers and aches: Take Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen, or Ibruprophen if you are not allergic or if your doctor has not advised against it. Never give aspirin to children. Do not give children younger than 4 over-the-counter cold medicines without consulting a health care provider. Use a cool cloth to the forehead.
 •  Congested sinuses: 1) Blow your nose often, use tissue with lotion. 2) Use saline nasal sprays or a sterile/distilled salt water rinse to irrigate your nose. Salt-water rinsing helps break up nasal congestion while also removing virus particles and bacteria from your nose. 3) Inhale steam to ease your congestion and stuffy nose- use a humidifier or take a steamy shower. 4) Apply hot packs or a warm wash cloth around your congested sinuses. 5) Sleep with an extra pillow under your head.
 •  Raw, red nose: Use petroleum jelly or lanolin on the affected area.
 •  Sore/itchy throat: Gargle with warm salt water. Drink warm liquids. Try throat lozenges for adults/children over age 10.
 •  Zinc: Research seems to show that oral zinc, if taken early, may decrease the duration of a cold for some people. However, avoid zinc nasal spray which can cause permanent loss of smell (source: WebMD).
 •  Breast feeding: Women with the flu should continue to breast feed. Breast milk passes antibodies from you to your baby which helps fight off infection. If possible, have an adult who is not sick care for your infant and use a pump.
Use precautions (such as a mask) to avoid coughing or sneezing on your baby. Wash your hands and clean under your nails with a brush often. Consult your doctor and follow medical advice if you are severely ill.

When to seek immediate medical treatment

Antiviral drugs may be prescribed for relief of symptoms, preferably within the first 2 days. If you are at high risk for complications (pregnant, have a chronic medical condition, etc) call your doctor ASAP.

Seek immediate treatment for any of these symptoms:
 •  Difficulty breathing/ shortness of breath
 •  High fever not responding to medicine (over 102° - 103°)
 •  Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
 •  Severe headache
 •  Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
 •  Signs of dehydration: dizziness, decreased urination
 •  Confusion or less responsive than usual
 •  Earache or drainage from your ear
 •  Hoarseness, sore throat or a cough that won’t go away
 •  Wheezing or severe coughing
 •  The mucus you are producing changes; such as a change from clear to thick, yellow-green mucus.
•  Flu like symptoms that improve, but then return

In addition monitor children for:
• Trouble breathing/ fast breathing
• High fever (over 102°), infants over 100°
• Lack of tears when crying
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not interacting
• Does not want to be held
• Fever with a rash
• Not waking up (call 911)
• Bluish skin color (call 911)
• Infants - inability to eat, significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

Getting Medical Care

Contact your primary care physician 
Call (909) 793-3311 or your local facility number.

Call the Nurse Advice Helpline after-hours
If you have a question or concern after the office has closed, simply call (909) 793-3311 or any of the Beaver Medical Group main phone numbers. Registered Nurses staff the phones to assess your situation and to give you medical information and advice for receiving care. The Helpline is available every night from 5:00 pm until 8:00 am the next weekday, and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays.

Visit an Urgent Care Center 
Walk-in to an Urgent Care Center :.

Redlands Urgent Care Center
245 Terracina Blvd., Suite 102
(909) 792-11065
Open every day of the year from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm

Highland Urgent Care Center
7000 Boulder Avenue
(909) 862-1191
Open every day of the year from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm

Beaumont Urgent Care Center
81 S. Highland Springs Avenue, Suite 101
(951) 845-0313
Open every day of the year from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm

Call for a same-day pediatric visit on Saturdays
If your child becomes ill on the weekend or a holiday, just call 909-793-3311 in the morning. Same day appointments are available with pediatric medical staff until noon on Saturdays at the Oasis Medical Plaza in Redlands.

With very serious symptoms, go to a local hospital emergency room