pH1N1 Flu Information (Formerly Swine Flu)

pH1N1 Flu Information

In 2009, a new strain of influenza emerged which is being referred to as pH1N1 Influenza. The "p" is a reference to the fact that the World Health Organization has categorized the H1N1 strain as having reached pandemic status. The City of Windsor is actively working to reduce the transmission of the influenza virus to City of Windsor staff through the implementation of contingency plans.

At this stage, the Corporate plan calls for the following courses of action:

1) Communication:

  • The City maintains contact with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and our staff are briefed daily regarding the status of the illness.
  • The recommended source for local health information about the pH1N1 flu virus is the Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) website.
  • Staff with health concerns are encouraged to contact their medical professional or to call TeleHealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or TTY: 1-866-797-0007.

2) Health Practices:

To minimize the risk of transmission, proper coughing and hand washing etiquette should be followed:

What you can do to reduce the spread of germs:

  • Wash hands thoroughly and often.
  • Keep alcohol-based sanitizer handy and use often.
  • Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve.
  • Keep surfaces and items you handle disinfected.
  • Get seasonal and pH1N1 flu shots (see below).
  • Practice social distancing.

Flu Shots:

  • The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will be administering flu shots in phases this year, due to the addition of the pH1N1 vaccine and the need to ensure that populations most at risk are treated first. Flu shots will be available as follows:
    • October: seasonal flu vaccine for Ontarians 65 years of age or older and residents of long-term care homes
    • November/December: pH1N1 vaccine for the general population. See the complete schedule of clinics.
    • December/January: seasonal flu vaccine for the general population (6 months old and higher)

Personal Protective Equipment/Masks:

  • At this time, the Medical Officer of Health has determined that masks are not required, unless one is normally used in the course of doing your job. The Medical Officer of Health will determine when or if masks are required.

Virus and Symptoms:

People with pH1N1 experience the following symptoms:

  • Acute onset of fever
  • New or worse cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Joint or muscle pain
  • Sore Throat
  • Severe weakness/fatigue
  • Eye or ocular pain
  • Headaches

*Staff experiencing these symptoms who stay home from work should follow Corporate or Departmental directives pertaining to absence from work.

City Preparedness:

  • The City has a well developed pandemic influenza plan to guide us through an influenza outbreak. We have been planning and preparing for the potential of an influenza pandemic since 2006. City Council has approved the City of Windsor's Corporate Pandemic Plan: Maintaining Business In, Through and Past a Crisis.

Employee Resources:

Note: As information changes rapidly please refresh the above links to ensure you are reading the most current information.