By Katie Knapp Schubert
Omaha, NE – An UNMC expert on infectious diseases says not all cases of the flu require medical treatment.
Dr. Mark Rupp says UNMC's emergency rooms are experiencing a near-record number of people seeking treatment. He says that stretches the hospital's resources thin. Rupp says many people with the flu, whether it's seasonal or swine flu, don't need medical treatment. Instead, they can treat it at home. Dr. Rupp says if you're having chest pains or trouble keeping fluids down, you should seek medical treatment.
Rupp is a professor of infectious diseases at UNMC. He says there will eventually be enough vaccine available in the community for everyone who wants it. Right now, Dr. Rupp says people with existing medical conditions, pregnant women, and young children should be vaccinated against the swine flu. Pregnant women cannot receive the nasal spray form of the vaccine.