Reduce Your Risk from Respiratory Viruses This Holiday Season

November 20, 2024, 12:30 PM EST

What to know

  • Flu, COVID-19, and RSV illnesses are at low levels right now overall in the United States, but we expect them to increase in the coming weeks, as they usually do in fall and winter.
  • Individuals, families, healthcare providers, and health departments can all take actions to help prevent serious respiratory illnesses.
  • The most important action is getting the immunizations recommended for you.
  • If you do get sick, these immunizations can make your illness less severe and can help you avoid hospitalization.
This graphic explains who should get COVID-19, flu and RSV immunizations.

Summary

What CDC knows

  • Signs of increased RSV activity have started in the southern and eastern United States, particularly in young children.
  • Seasonal flu activity is increasing slightly among children but remains low nationally.
  • CDC expects hospitalizations for flu and COVID-19 to start increasing in the coming weeks.
  • Many people have not received their recommended flu, COVID-19, and RSV immunizations.
  • There's still time to benefit from getting your recommended immunizations to reduce your risk of illness this season, especially severe illness and hospitalization.
  • For people who do get sick with flu or COVID-19, antiviral medications for each of these illnesses are recommended for people who are at higher risk of severe illness.

What CDC is doing

  • CDC tracks flu, COVID-19, and RSV activity—for example, emergency department visits and hospitalizations—and shares the data weekly with the public.
  • CDC's respiratory virus guidance provides practical ways people can lower their risk from respiratory virus illnesses.
  • CDC provides information about testing and treatment for flu and COVID-19.
  • CDC works to increase access to vaccines, including administration of the Vaccines for Children program.

Now is the time to take action

While respiratory virus activity is currently at low levels nationally with variability by state, CDC anticipates that will change. Peaks of respiratory disease activity usually happen from about December to February. Several different respiratory viruses spread more during fall and winter, including those that cause flu, COVID-19, and RSV illness.

The holidays are coming, and large gatherings, travel, and more time indoors can mean more viruses spreading. Fortunately, we have tools to help us stay healthy so we can enjoy the time we spend with our families, friends, and neighbors.

Healthcare providers, health departments, and individuals all have a role to play. It is important for healthcare providers to get vaccinated to protect themselves and encourage patients to do the same.

Health departments should monitor local respiratory virus activity and provide information to the public. This includes information about where people can get vaccinated and how to reduce their risk of becoming severely ill. CDC has developed resources for healthcare providers and specific groups of people to help us all prepare for the fall and winter season.

Things everyone can do

Immunizations

  • Immunizations are the best tools we have for preventing serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV. Staying up to date on recommended immunizations is especially important for those at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses.
  • Make sure you know which immunizations are recommended for you and make a plan to get them. You can talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about immunizations.
This graphic explains who should get COVID-19, flu, and RSV immunizations.
Which vaccines do you need this fall and winter season? View this Fall and Winter Virus Season Immunization Guide to ensure you know which vaccines are recommended for you.


Testing and treatment

  • U.S. households are currently eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about testing and treatment options if you get symptoms of a respiratory illness and are at higher risk of developing severe illness.
  • Antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and flu can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick.
  • COVID-19 and flu treatment should be started as soon as possible after symptoms begin.

Everyday prevention steps

  • You also can protect yourself and others with everyday prevention action such as:
    • Staying home and away from others when you are sick (including people you live with),
    • Covering coughs and sneezes,
    • Improving ventilation, and
    • Washing hands often.
  • Learn more about these strategies and others in CDC's respiratory virus guidance.

What healthcare providers can do

Immunizations

Testing and treatment

  • Antiviral medications are important to treat patients at higher risk of developing severe flu or COVID-19 illness, such as older adults.
  • Antiviral treatments are underutilized:
    • A study on flu antiviral utilization showed fewer children and teens hospitalized with flu received antivirals during the 2023–24 respiratory virus season than during the 2017–18 season.
    • A recent study showed that use of lifesaving COVID-19 treatment declines with the patient's increasing age.
    • CDC continues to research antiviral utilization to better understand perspectives and barriers to their use among providers.
  • Remind your patients at higher risk to contact you as soon as possible if they develop symptoms of a respiratory illness so they can start flu or COVID-19 treatment early, to get the most benefit.
  • Testing can facilitate early treatment, but testing is not required to begin treatment for COVID-19 and flu, particularly for patients at higher risk of severe illness.
  • New tests that detect both SARS CoV-2 and flu are available.

Everyday prevention steps

What health departments can do

Immunizations

  • Conduct outreach to provider groups and work with providers to increase immunization coverage against flu, COVID-19, and RSV, including sharing CDC's best practices for patient care.
  • Publicly share local vaccination coverage data. National, state, and some local vaccination coverage estimates are available at VaxView Vaccination Coverage.
  • Encourage your community to get the protection provided by immunizations in advance of the holidays.
  • Support centralized Immunization Information Systems (IIS) reminder/recall activities.
  • Let your communities know how they can get low- or no-cost vaccines in your area.

Testing and treatment

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Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD); About NCIRD; NCIRD Divisions and Offices