Long-Term Care: Influenza
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On this page:
LTC guidance
What you can do now
Is it flu?
Workers
Testing, treatment, and reporting
LTC guidance
- Interim Guidance for Influenza Outbreak Management in Long-Term Care Facilities
Guidance from CDC for managing influenza outbreaks. Attention: Non-MDH link - Influenza Update for Long-Term Care Facilities in Minnesota (PDF: 42KB/2 pages)
Includes guidance on influenza prevention and control in long-term care facilities.
What you can do now
- Preparing for Influenza Season
Vaccination plans, staff training, surveillance systems, and facility preparation can all be implemented even before the flu season begins.
- Long-term Care Facility Visitor Management Guidelines while Influenza is Circulating in the Community
Guidelines for all visitors as well as those visiting ill residents.
- Influenza Vaccine Information for Health Professionals
Get the latest information on the flu vaccine.
- LTC Providers: Join the Health Alert Network
Find out how to make sure your long-term care agency is receiving MDH health alerts.
- Minnesota Long Term Care Preparedness Toolkit (PDF: 1.34MB/85 pages)
General emergency preparedness planning for long-term care facilities, created by an inter-agency group.
Is it flu?
- Influenza-like Illness in Elderly Persons
Elderly persons may not present the same symptoms when they have influenza-like illness.
Workers
- Infection Prevention and Control: Long-Term Care
When caring for residents with suspected or confirmed influenza, follow Standard Precautions AND Respiratory Precautions.
- Triage Guidance for Licensed and Certified Home Care Providers
Suggestions for staff allocation during a pandemic.
Testing, treatment, and reporting
Call MDH at 651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414 if you have an influenza outbreak in your facility. MDH will provide guidance about testing.
- Suspected/Confirmed Influenza Outbreak: Long-Term Care
Things to do if you have a suspected or confirmed influenza outbreak.
- Submitting Influenza Specimens to MDH for Laboratory Testing: Long-Term Care
Instructions on obtaining and submitting specimens for influenza testing to the MDH Public Health Lab.
- Antiviral Medications for Influenza Treatment and Prevention: Long-Term Care
Antiviral medications may be used in the treatment and/or prevention of influenza in long-term care facilities.
- Influenza-like Illness (ILI) Line List for Long-Term Care Facilities (PDF: 49KB/2 pages)
Two-page form to help you collect data on each resident with ILI.
Spotlight
Voluntary quality assurance program for community vaccinators.
Order Influenza Immunization Materials
Health care worker flu vaccination program.
Attention: Non-MDH link
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 (TTY: 651-201-5797) for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.
