Self-Assessment at home for H1N1 flu (Swine Flu) or regular flu

White House declares H1N1 flu national emergency
President Obama has declared national emergency to deal with the rapid increase in illness from the Swine Flu.
“The 2009 H1N1 pandemic continues to evolve. The rates of illness continue to rise rapidly within many communities across the nation, and the potential exists for the pandemic to overburden health care resources in some localities,” President Obama said in a statement.

The White House said that President Obama signed the proclamation to allow medical officials to bypass certain federal requirements. Many officials described the move as similar to a declaration before a hurricane making a landfall.

To be extra careful, everybody is more anxious to visit the doctor even with basic cold or regular flu symptoms. The doctors are warning of over-crowding and long delays, not to mention the waste of valuable resources.

How do you know if you have H1N1 or not?
Well, ask your doctor! :)
However, considering everybody is rushing to the doctors, you may want to check for the basic symptoms before joining the long waiting line at the doctor’s office. Luckily, there are quite a few online sites that provide basic information about swine flu; some of them very helpful including this one from Microsoft:
In response to the overwhelming concerns, Microsoft now has a Web site, H1N1 Response Center , which provides users with timely and relevant content and enables them to check symptoms and receive guidance using an H1N1 self-assessment service.

This site has a self-navigating tool designed to ask you a series of questions. Based on your answers “it is meant to tell you what some experts think about whether you should visit a doctor for H1N1 flu.” If you’re sick and plan to visit the doctor, you can also print your self-assessment and bring with you to the doctor. That way, the doctor won’t need to ask the same questions again. At least, that is what the web-site says!

Oh, and as always, there is this disclaimer on the site:
“You will get guidance based on your answers to the questions. This can help you make a more informed decision, but you are responsible for your own health decisions. This assessment is not medical advice. Microsoft can’t say whether the guidance from this assessment will be right for you.”

So, by the end of the day, it come down to what you think and what you decide. The site does provide valuable information for anyone with flu symptoms.

Also, the very first step is to enter your zip code. Why is that? One of the reasons – as stated on the site, the self-assessment is intended for residents of the United States only.

Resources
For a lot more information about H1N1, including preventive measures, you can also check out the CDC (Center for Disease Control) site: What To Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu.

For worldwide or global resources, you may want to check the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

Just like Microsoft disclaimer, this is no medical advice. These links above are some of the information available online that you can use to assess your preliminary situation. When in doubt, and for specific advice and guidance related to your medical needs always check with your doctor and other local medical resources.

Bottomline is this - take the extra precautions as per the CDC advice and make an informed decision based on all this information available online. A few small steps to protect yourself from the flu can eliminate big headaches down the road.

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