CARPHA Advises

CARPHA Advises "Be Proactive, Reduce Your Risk of Catching the Flu"

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is urging persons to practice good personal hygiene in order to reduce the risk of transmission of influenza and other respiratory viruses.

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused mainly by two types of viruses: Influenza A and Influenza B. The Influenza A (H1N1) virus caused a pandemic in 2009. Although often referred to as “swine flu”, this name is misleading, as it is not spread by contact with pigs or pig products.

Influenza A (H1N1) is a virus that continues to circulate around the world, including the Caribbean. Typically, the flu season in the Region occurs between September to March when there is usually an increase in the number of persons coming down with the virus.

Flu is characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), sore throat and runny nose. Most people recover from these symptoms within a week without requiring medical attention, but influenza can cause severe illness or death in people at high risk.

Dr C. James Hospedales, Executive Director, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), explained that the primary form of influenza transmission is through interpersonal contact. He added that large social events like carnival, festivals and concerts can create serious public health challenges because persons are often crowded together, sharing personal space and common areas.

Given elevated flu activity in the northern hemisphere, combined with the high travel season to the Caribbean, it is important that people take the necessary steps now, to protect themselves and their loved ones from the flu.

CARPHA urges persons to take proactive measures to reduce the risk of transmission of influenza and other respiratory viruses. Good hygiene measures that persons can take include:

  • • Covering your mouth with a tissue or handkerchief, or using your elbow, when sneezing or coughing.
  • • Safely disposing of used tissues.
  • • Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after coughing and sneezing and before and after meal preparation, eating and using the toilets. Alternatively, you may use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer.
  • • Avoiding contact with others by staying home if you are sick.
  • • Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces regularly.

Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the disease. Safe and effective vaccines have been available and used for over 60 years. Vaccination is especially important for health workers and people at higher risk of serious influenza complications, such as the very young, pregnant women, the elderly and chronically ill persons, and for people who live with or care for high risk individuals.

Persons should contact their Ministry of Health or community health centre for more information about vaccination programmes. For more information see CARPHA Influenza-Fact-Sheet.

Attachments

  1. CARPHA-Dr-Hospedales-Influenza2019.mp3 4/24/2019 1:48:23 PM

Tags

Categories

New at CARPHA

Share

Rating

0 ( 0 reviews)
  • Recent
  • Popular
  • Tag
  • CARPHA Encourages Persons to Know their Blood Pressure

    CARPHA Encourages Persons to Know their Blood Pressure

    0 Comments

    Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, May 16, 2014: The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is calling on persons to know their blood pressure, strive to keep it healthy or lower it. This is in keep...
  • CARPHA and CTO Launch Tourism and Health Programme

    0 Comments

    CARPHA and CTO successfully launched the regional tourism and health programme and conducted an awareness and discussion workshop on Friday May 2, 2014 in Aruba. The keynote address was given by the M...
  • CARPHA’s new Chairman of the Board

    CARPHA’s new Chairman of the Board

    0 Comments

    Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, October 02, 2013: The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honourable Colin Riley, Minister of Health of Montserrat...
  • Saint Lucia Joins Regional Project to Build Public Health Capacity

    Saint Lucia Joins Regional Project to Build Public Health Capacity

    0 Comments

    Castries, Saint Lucia, September 04, 2014. The Ministry of Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations, in collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), is launching the Ca...
  • New CARPHA lab to help region respond to health threats

    New CARPHA lab to help region respond to health threats

    1 Comments

    The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) moved today one step forward in its mission to provide strategic direction in analyzing, defining and responding to public health priorities of CARICOM, in ...
  • GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP

    0 Comments

    The Center for Global Health of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S., in collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), St. George's Un...
  • CR-FELTP Trains New Mentors in Jamaica

    CR-FELTP Trains New Mentors in Jamaica

    0 Comments

    Caribbean Regional Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (CR-FELTP) Trains New Mentors in Jamaica The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) hosted a four-day workshop in Kingston, Jam...
  • Risk of Ebola in the Caribbean

    Risk of Ebola in the Caribbean "Low"

    0 Comments

    Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, August 06, 2014: The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) says the risk of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) being imported to the Caribbean is low. Executive Direct...
  • Risk Communication Training to Help Senior Health Officials Better Manage Health Threats

    0 Comments

    Risk Communication Training to Help Senior Health Officials Better Manage Health Threats Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, June 19, 2016: "Risk communication is an important tool in managing health th...
  • Influenza Activity in the Caribbean

    Influenza Activity in the Caribbean

    2 Comments

    Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, September 26, 2013. The Caribbean, like other regions in the Americas, experiences seasonal influenza activity. Improved health monitoring by Ministries of Health i...