Bird Flu and Swine Flu Information Resource

Caring for an infected person at home

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The most important thing to remember is that if you are actually in a situation of caring for an infected patient at home, then whatever care you give them is going to be the best care and treatment they can get anywhere at that present time. Whatever you do will always be better than no care. The fact that a person cares enough to care for a patient always gives the patient extra strength to heal themselves. Even simple occasional touching the patient assists healing.

The patient is placed in an isolated room, preferably with washable floors.
Remove flies from rooms. Flies have recently been found to carry H5N1.

Keep the patient’s room temperature very warm by using a heater. A fan heater may be best as the hot air may help destroy airborne viruses.

Monitor a patient’s temperature often. The body is creating a higher body temperature in a last desperate effort to kill off the virus. Too high a temperature for prolonged periods can permanently damage the brain or other organs or cause death. If the patient becomes too hot, strip the patient and continually wipe the patient’s body with a cool wet washer or sponge. Turn the heater off and turn the fan to direct cool air on the body while you are sponging the body. When you feel the body getting cooler and remaining cool stop and begin to keep the body warm again by covering with blankets and turning the heater on again. This cycle may continue several times until the patient’s temperature stabilises. In hotter climates the heater is still useful but no blankets are needed.

In severe cases infected people often die because they become too tired to breathe. These people would normally be placed on a hospital ventilator to help assist their breathing. A manual Bag Valve Mask (used by ambulance personnel) operated by a family member for a few hours at a time would help the patients lung muscles to continue working by allowing them to rest occasionally. (Everyone can run 20 km if they have a rest now and again.) CPAP machines for snorers are better.

If the patient is vomiting or has diarrhoea and is too weak to drink then dehydration (lack of water) can make the illness much worse. The patient will also not be able to keep their medications, water or nutrients in their stomach. Water can be given to an extremely sick patient through enemas. Penetration into the rectum does not need to be far. Dissolved medications and nutrients can also be given this way and are absorbed efficiently and quickly. This is also a survival method if adrift at sea with no water. Seawater can be applied even with a douche. The freshwater is absorbed through the rectum and the salt is left behind in the colon.

Flu patients must have plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

Soups are excellent for people recovering. Stock up on food supplies and other necessities in case stores close or you become quarantined. 3 weeks normal food and 6 months cheap bulk food (rice and flour). Don’t forget your pet’s food.

Setting up the patients room

Adapted from the World Health Organisation guidelines on infection control.
Preferably a small room, isolated, containing a single bed and with a non porous floor.

The following equipment is needed in the patients room:

Hand basin - or shallow bucket with large container of water
Soap and disinfectants - methylated spirits or standard 5% bleach diluted 1 to 5
Foot operated bin lined - with plastic bag lining with extra bags available
Plastic bags for waste
Drinking water and glass
Tissues - Tell patient to cover mouth and nose with tissue when they cough.
Thermometer - This must be sterilised (using alcohol) if it is to be used by another person.
Face mask - Patient wears when visitors enter room. (surgical type masks to contain particles)
Fan - Place in window if possible and sealed with tape. Turn on to create a negative pressure in the room when you are in the room.
Fan Heater - For heating room and killing virus contaminated aerosols
Face washer - Avoid patient leaving room for showers or toilet. Wash patient down in room.
Sponge and towel - For cooling the patient during a high temperature fever
Toilet pan - Human wastes can be disposed of down normal toilets. Disinfect
Toilet paper - Human wastes with strong bleach solution before leaving room or disposal.
Nappies - Large disposable nappies may be needed for invalid patients.

Outside the room

Safety procedures after leaving the room