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Submission: On November 28 via api from US — Scanned from US
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2. Health & Social Services
3. Disease Control & Prevention
4. Protect yourself and others from getting sick
5. Staying home to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses
* This page, Staying home to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, is
offered by
* Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences
* show more
* Department of Public Health
STAYING HOME TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
Recommendations for the general public
Stay home when you have symptoms of any respiratory illness, like flu COVID-19,
and RSV. Staying home when sick helps prevent the spread of germs.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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* If you have symptoms of a respiratory virus (isolation)
* If you have tested positive for a respiratory virus but do not have any
symptoms
* If you were exposed to someone with a respiratory virus illness (exposure
precautions)
* Protecting people with risk factors for severe illness from respiratory
viruses
* Schools and childcare settings
* Health care settings
Show More Table of contents
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Table of Contents
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Overview of things you can do to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
* Get vaccinated for flu and COVID-19
* Stay home when you are sick (follow the recommendations below)
* Use hand and respiratory hygiene
* Wear a mask around others
* Get tested for flu and COVID-19 so you can get treated
* Avoid crowded areas and maintain physical distance
* Increase fresh air
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF A RESPIRATORY VIRUS (ISOLATION)
If you have new symptoms of a respiratory virus, such as a fever, sore throat,
cough or a runny or stuffy nose, you should stay home and stay away from others
in your household.
WHILE YOU ARE STAYING AT HOME:
* Get tested for COVID-19 and flu. Talk to your healthcare provider about
getting treatment if you test positive.
* Stay away from others in your household. Wear a mask when you have to be
around them.
* Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not
available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
* Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow,
not your hands.
* Clean high-touch surfaces (such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs)
often.
You should stay home even if you don’t know what virus is making you sick.
WHEN YOU START TO FEEL BETTER:
You may begin to resume normal activities with precautions if:
1. You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever
reducing medicines; AND
2. Your other symptoms are improving
You may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are
feeling better.
FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 5 DAYS AFTER YOU RESUME NORMAL ACTIVITIES, TAKE THESE
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS:
* Avoid crowded indoor spaces. Wear a mask anytime you are indoors around other
people
* Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not
available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
* Avoid spending time with people who are at increased risk for severe disease
IF YOUR SYMPTOMS GET WORSE AGAIN:
If your fever comes back or any other symptoms start to get worse, you should go
back home until you are better again. Wait to resume normal activities until you
have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing
medicines AND your symptoms are improving again. When you resume normal
activities, take the recommended additional precautions during the next 5 days:
* Avoid crowded indoor spaces
* Wear a mask indoors around other people
* Wash your hands often
* Cover your coughs and sneezes
IF YOU HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR A RESPIRATORY VIRUS BUT DO NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS
You can still spread the virus. Take additional precautions to protect others
from getting sick.
FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 5 DAYS, TAKE THESE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS:
* Avoid crowded indoor spaces. Wear a mask anytime you are indoors around other
people.
* Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not
available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
* Avoid spending time with people who are at increased risk for severe disease.
* Although not required, choosing to stay home for about 72 hours may help
reduce the chances that you spread the virus to others. While you stay home
you should:
* Stay away from others in your household. Wear a mask when you have to be
around them.
* Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not
available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
* Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner
elbow, not your hands.
* Clean high-touch surfaces (such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs)
often.
IF YOU DEVELOP ANY RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS:
If you get a fever, or any other symptoms of respiratory illness, you should go
home. You may begin to resume normal activities with some precautions when:
1. You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever
reducing medicines; AND
2. Your symptoms are improving again
THEN, TAKE THE RECOMMENDED EXTRA PRECAUTIONS DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS:
* Avoid crowded indoor spaces
* Wear a mask indoors around other people
* Wash your hands often
* Cover your coughs and sneezes
IF YOU WERE EXPOSED TO SOMEONE WITH A RESPIRATORY VIRUS ILLNESS (EXPOSURE
PRECAUTIONS)
If you have been exposed to someone with a respiratory virus, you do not need to
stay home as long as you remain asymptomatic. You may be able to spread a
respiratory virus before developing symptoms.
To protect others, especially those with risk factors for severe illness, take
precautions:
* Wash your hands often
* Consider wearing a mask and avoiding crowded places
* Monitor yourself for symptoms carefully
Stay home if you start to develop any signs of illness.
PROTECTING PEOPLE WITH RISK FACTORS FOR SEVERE ILLNESS FROM RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
When you are sick from a respiratory virus, you may spread germs for about 10
days after your symptoms start or after a positive test, even if you don’t have
symptoms.
Be aware that some people around you may have risk factors for more severe
disease. Masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and covering your coughs
and sneezes helps protect them.
People at increased risk can include:
* Older adults
* Individuals with chronic underlying medical conditions, for example heart,
lung, liver or kidney disease
* Young children, especially those under 2 years old
* People with weakened immune systems
* People with disabilities
* Pregnant people
SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE SETTINGS
Schools and childcare settings should follow the recommendations for the general
population. Recognize that young children may not always be able to wear a mask
effectively. Children under 2 years are not asked to mask when they return to
normal activities.
School health offices are health care settings. School nurses and other health
office staff should follow the guidance for health care settings.
HEALTH CARE SETTINGS
View specific guidance and protocols for health care settings: Guidance for
Health Care Personnel with SARS-CoV2 Infection or Exposure.
Health care guidance is intended for:
* Inpatient settings (e.g., hospitals, long-term care facilities)
* Outpatient settings (e.g., clinics, urgent care, ambulatory surgical centers,
imaging centers, dialysis centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation
centers, alternative medicine clinics)
* Community settings where health care is being delivered (e.g., emergency
medical services, home health agencies)
RELATED
* Tips to protect yourself and others from getting sick
* Guidance for Health Care Personnel with SARS-CoV2 Infection or Exposure
RELATED
* Tips to protect yourself and others from getting sick
* Guidance for Health Care Personnel with SARS-CoV2 Infection or Exposure
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