Updated CDC Guidance on Respiratory Viral Illnesses
As of Friday, March 1st, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised guidance on respiratory illnesses, including RSV, Flu, and COVID-19. Endorsed by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) that same day, the new guidelines offer a more streamlined approach to understanding when person should stay home while sick to prevent further spread of common viral respiratory diseases to others, and when it’s safer to return to work, school, and other public settings.
East Hartford residents are advised of the following highlights of the new guidance:
When sick with any respiratory illness (RSV, Flu, COVID), you may return to normal activities when the following are both true…
- Your symptoms, including cough, sore throat, body aches or chills, have been improving for 24 hours and
- You’ve been fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medications)
When your symptoms have improved and you have not had a fever for 24 hours, you are typically less contagious to others, but it still takes time for your body to fully get rid of the virus.
When returning to normal activities, please follow added precautions for 5 days to avoid spreading illness to others:
- Frequent hand washing
- Covering coughs and sneezes
- Sanitizing commonly touched surfaces
- Improved ventilation
- Masking
- Physical distancing from others indoors
“Staying at home while experiencing symptoms of viral respiratory illness, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and chills reduces the risk of exposure to others during the time individuals are most likely contagious”, said Director of Health Laurence Burnsed. Important factors to modifying isolation recommendations for COVID-19 include the availability of effective protective tools, such as vaccines and treatments, which has reduced the risk of developing severe illness and being hospitalized for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Vaccination for COVID-19, Flu, and RSV remain strongly encouraged. CDC reports, “Over 95% of adults hospitalized in 2023-2024 due to COVID-19 had no record of receiving the latest vaccine.” Residents can contact the East Hartford Health Department at (860) 291-7324 to speak with a public health nurse about vaccination recommendations.
For more information on the updated CDC viral respiratory illness guidelines, please visit the CDC website and the East Hartford Health Department webpage on RSV, Influenza, and COVID-19 Information.