Doctors and emergency medical personnel at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center are watching as services become clogged, helplessly  overrun by panicked people who swear they’ve contracted the N1H1 virus.

“Our biggest concern is that the media driven hysteria about the H1N1 flu is overcrowding our emergency rooms that are already overburdened now,” said Dr. Mike Sarti, Emergency Room Medical Director for Holy Cross.

The stress is posing a challenge for medical personnel who are trying to quell the panic with education.

“Really the indications for coming to the emergency room shouldn’t be any different today as they were last year. To come just to get reassurance is very difficult for us,” Dr. Sarti said.

No cases of N1H1 have been confirmed in Los Angeles County so far, and even if people do contract the disease, they will usually be able to treat it at home by themselves.

Dr. Sarti recommends treating any case of the flu with bed rest, liquids, and fever management with Motrin or Tylenol.

Only if more serious symptoms occur should you visit the ER.

“If someone was to become dehydrated and could no longer be able to take liquids, I think that’s an indication to come to the hospital,” he said. “If someone runs very, very high temps, and develops a very severe cough and shortness of breath, that’s an indication to come to the hospital. But short of those more advanced things happening, it’s Tylenol, bed rest and liquids.”