CDC Updates: Simplified Steps for Respiratory Illness Prevention and Important Info for Adults 65+
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released clearer and easier-to-follow recommendations to help you protect yourself and your community from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV.
Here’s the key takeaway:
The CDC is shifting to a unified approach for managing these common illnesses. This means the recommendations for preventing their spread are similar, regardless of the specific virus.
Strategies
- Get vaccinated: Staying up-to-date on your vaccinations (flu, COVID-19, RSV if eligible) is the most effective way to prevent serious illness from these viruses.
- Practice good hygiene: Wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and clean frequently touched surfaces.
- Focus on Improving air quality: Open windows, use air purifiers, or spend time outdoors when possible
- Stay home when sick: If you’re feeling unwell, avoid close contact with others to prevent spreading illness.
- Return to normal activities once symptoms have been improving overall for at least 24 hours, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication.
- Take extra precautions for 5 days after recovering. This includes wearing a well-fitting mask, maintaining good hygiene, and avoiding close contact with high-risk individuals (over 65 or with weakened immune systems).
These changes are due to a combination of factors. Widespread immunity and improved treatments have led to fewer hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19. Additionally, these changes will help to simplify public health recommendations, making them easier to understand and follow.
Additional Protection for Adults 65 and Older
The CDC also recommends that adults 65 and older receive an additional dose of the latest COVID-19 vaccine this spring. This booster shot will help to further protect them from severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. Visit Vaccines.gov to find a COVID‑19 vaccine location near you.
Thank you for taking the time to read this important update. Feel free to check out the resources below for more details!
Resources:
CDC updates and simplifies respiratory virus recommendations
Older Americans Should Get Another Covid Shot This Spring, C.D.C. Says
