If You Have an Influenza-like Illness

If you are showing symptoms of an influenza-like illness (ILI), then there are some steps you can take to more closely identify your illness and how to take care of yourself.

• Take your temperature and assess your level of fever
  • Be sure to wash your hands before taking your temperature.
  • To get the most accurate reading; hold the thermometer under your tongue for at least one minute or until it beeps.
  • Read the display immediately after removing.
  • Write down the date, time, and your temperature.
• Practice self-isolation techniques
  • Stay at home for 24 hours after your fever is gone. The Center for Disease Control recommends this exclusion period regardless of whether or not antiviral medications are used.
  • Throw tissues away immediately after use and sanitize your hands. Do not reuse tissues.
• Prevent germ distribution
  • Avoid crowds or situations that put you in close proximity to people.
  • If you must leave your home, practice proper respiratory etiquette by wearing a mask, not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, and coughing and sneezing into a shirtsleeve or tissue.
  • Do not share personal items that have a high-risk of being contaminated. If you must do so, sanitize them first.
• Perform at-home self-care
  • Gargle with salt water to help soothe a sore throat. Mix ¼ teaspoon of plain salt into a glass of very warm water.
  • Increase fluid intake with water, juice, hot tea, and soups. This can help relieve nasal congestion and soothe a sore throat.
  • Wash your hands often.
  • Eat regular, well-balanced meals.
  • Do your best to stay at home and rest, sleeping at least seven to nine hours per night.
  • If you have trouble sleeping due to nasal congestion or drainage, use extra pillows to prop yourself up to a 45° angle.
  • Avoid smoke and alcohol as they can aggravate and prolong symptoms.
  • Take hot, steamy showers to suppress coughing and loosen congestion.
  • Consider using a humidifier or vaporizer to soothe irritated nasal and throat passages.
  • Use mentholated ointment around your nose. This will help open breathing passages and soothe irritated skin.
• Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
  • Symptoms that have not shown improvement within seven days
  • Persistent, frequent coughing that is continuous throughout the day for more than seven days
  • Ear pain, loss of hearing, blood or discharge from the ear
  • Severe headache and confusion, or the worst headache you have ever had, with no relief with acetaminophen or ibuprofen
  • Stiff neck
  • Rash
  • Fever of over 100°F that either does not reduce with either the use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil), or that lasts for more than five days
  • Fever of over 103°F
  • Chest pain, wheezing, or shortness of breath
  • Swollen and tender lymph nodes in the neck, groin, and armpits
  • If you are pregnant and have ILI symptoms
  • Enlarged tonsils that inhibit swallowing, choke you, alter your voice, or are coated with white or yellow discharge
  • Severe facial pain
  • Symptoms that get worse after getting better
  • If you have a history of diabetes, heart, kidney, or lung disease and have ILI symptoms
  • If you have a history of strep infections and have ILI symptoms
  • If you do not identify with any of the previous symptoms