How do you know if you need to call the doctor because you may have flu-like symptoms?

The World Health Organization (WHO) offers this advice in a story from Reuters—-one telltale symptom for adults and one for children.

To read other guidance for patients or family care-givers , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website will give you current information. Also pay attention to announcements from your state’s public health officials.

Patients who are pregnant women or those with underlying health conditions may need to be more closely monitored, the story says, regardless of their symptoms.

WHO’s director-general urges patients with mild symptoms to stay out of hospital emergency rooms so that more seriously ill patients can be cared for.

Reuters

WHO:

“The overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms and make a full recovery within a week, often in the absence of any form of medical treatment,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told a conference in Cancun, Mexico., often in the absence of any form of medical treatment.”

….”Adults with a high fever that lasts for more than three days should seek help, and children who have difficulty waking up, are lethargic or are no longer alert may also need extra care, Chan said.

“For a pandemic of moderate severity, this is one of our greatest challenges: helping people to understand when they do not need to worry, and when they do need to seek urgent care,” she told the conference, also attended by Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova.”

Source: Reuters News Service, July 2, 2009

Citations: World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease and Prevention