News article
Posted
If you’ve been following the news, you know that respiratory viruses are rampant right now. You may even be sick yourself. There are many respiratory viruses circulating now and for most people these viruses will only cause a few days away from work or school and some bothersome symptoms, but for young children, older adults and those with chronic conditions, respiratory viruses can be very serious, even deadly.
RSV and the flu started early this year and are straining hospital capacity. The newest COVID-19 variant is adding to the problem by sending more people to the hospital than predicted. There is a lot you can do to prevent these and other respiratory viruses:
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Keep sick kids home from day care and school.
- Wear a mask inside public places.
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water. If not possible, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Disinfect surfaces; this is especially important to prevent RSV as it lives on surfaces for a long time.
- Get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 as soon as possible. There is still time to protect yourself before holiday celebrations.
Vaccination and prevention resources:
- To find a flu shot, visit wcor.us/flu.
- To find a COVID-19 vaccine, visit wcor.us/vaccine.
- To learn more about RSV, visit https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html.
Download flyers:
- RSV prevention and treatment