The Halifax County Health Department is encouraging the public to follow the latest CDC guidance on how to protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.
This updated guidance is intended for community settings. There are no changes to respiratory virus guidance for healthcare settings or schools.
The health department said the new guidance brings a unified approach to addressing risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV, which can cause significant health impacts and strain on hospitals and health care workers.
The updates come as the country is seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and because there are more tools than to combat flu, COVID, and RSV.
As part of the guidance, CDC provides active recommendations on core prevention steps and strategies:
Staying up to date with vaccination to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
Practicing good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
Taking steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
When people get sick with a respiratory virus, the updated guidance recommends that they stay home and away from others.
For people with COVID-19 and influenza, treatment is available and can lessen symptoms and lower the risk of severe illness.
The recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication.
Once people resume normal activities, they are encouraged to take additional prevention strategies for the next 5 days to curb disease spread, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses.
Enhanced precautions are especially important to protect those most at risk for severe illness, including those over 65 and people with weakened immune systems.
For more information contact the health department at 252-583-5021 or your primary care provider.
