Respiratory Virus Guidance:
What to Do When You Are Sick
At Medical Support Services, we prioritize the health and safety of our community. We adhere to the latest CDC recommendations, which emphasize the importance of staying up to date on recommended vaccines to protect against COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Vaccines not only reduce the risk of infection but also mitigate the severity of these viruses, lowering the chances of hospitalization and fatalities. In addition to vaccination, we encourage practicing good hygiene habits such as covering coughs and sneezes, frequent handwashing or sanitizing, and regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces.
If you get sick
Step 1: Stay at home
As much as possible, you should stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both:
- Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
- You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
This advice is similar to what has been recommended for flu for decades and will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses during the most contagious period after infection. Not all respiratory virus infections result in a fever, so paying attention to other symptoms (cough, muscle aches, etc.) is important as you determine when you are well enough to leave home. If your symptoms are getting better, and stay better for 24 hours, you are less likely to pass your infection to others and you can start getting back to your daily routine and move on to step 2.
Step 2: Resume normal activities, and use added prevention strategies for the next 5 days
- Such as taking more steps for cleaner air.
- Enhancing your hygiene practices.
- Wearing a well-fitting mask.
- Keeping a distance from others
- And/or getting tested for respiratory viruses.
People can choose to use these prevention strategies at any time. Since some people remain contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period, taking added precautions can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.
People who are at higher risk for severe illness who start to feel sick should seek health care right away so that they can access testing and/or treatment. Early treatment for COVID-19 or flu may prevent severe disease in people at higher risk, even if they are up to date with their vaccines.
Examples
Depending on your circumstances, here are a few examples of what updated guidance could look like if you come down with a respiratory infection:
Example 1: Person with fever and symptoms.
Example 2: Person with fever but no other symptoms.
Example 3: Person with fever and other symptoms, fever ends but other symptoms take longer to improve.
Example 4: Person gets better and then gets a fever.
