Where can I get tested for H1N1?

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed.

Because our methods for diagnosing influenza in the doctor’s office, known as the rapid flu test, are not as effective in diagnosing H1N1 influenza, your doctor may choose to diagnose you based on your symptoms and exam.

For most patients, clinical diagnosis is the preferred method of making an H1N1 diagnosis, but in a few select cases laboratory testing can be completed.

The Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have established a network of healthcare providers around the country that collect flu virus samples that are then used to determine the levels of flu activity in each state and in the US.  Therefore, even without testing individual patients, we will have an estimate of H1N1 influenza activity.