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When should I see my doctor?
During a pandemic, essential health care services will continue but they may be working with a lower number of staff available. Most people will be encouraged to care for themselves or their family at home.
However, be sure to talk to your doctor about precautions you can take beforehand, and what to do if you get sick. This advice is very important if you
- have a chronic medical condition (e.g. heart or lung disease) that requires regular medical attention
- are on treatments or medications that affect your immune system, or
- are frail or have an illness.
For everybody, it is important to know that if your influenza symptoms get worse, you should get medical advice or care right away. Call ahead to your doctor's office to let them know you have influenza. They may discuss your illness over the phone, or make recommendations about seeing a professional. Special clinics for people with influenza or influenza-like symptoms may be set up. Your doctor's office might ask you to go there for health care, and will tell you where clinics are located.
Seek medical care right away if you notice any of the following:
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Children |
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or stomach
- Confusion or disorientation
- Coughing up bloody sputum
- Severe or lasting vomiting
- Symptoms (fever and cough) improve and then become worse
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- Fast or troubled breathing
- Bluish lips or skin colour
- Not drinking enough fluids and/or not urinating regularly (about every 6 hours when awake)
- Listlessness, not waking up or interacting
- Severe irritability, not wanting to be held
- Symptoms (fever and cough) improve and then become worse
- Fever with a rash
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(Adapted from "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness" by BC Ministry of Health)
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