Articles & Education

Respiratory Virus Resources (Flu, COVID-19 and RSV)

September 12, 2024

Protect yourself and your loved ones from respiratory viruses this fall and winter.

It’s that time of year again — the season where we tend to see an increase in respiratory viruses like RSV, flu and COVID-19. The good news is there are steps we can take to protect ourselves from infection, severe illness and hospitalization.

When should I get vaccinated against respiratory viruses?

This year, there are updated options for protection against respiratory viruses. If eligible, you can get your annual vaccinations against COVID-19, flu and RSV at the same time.

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Why are flu and COVID-19 vaccines updated while other vaccines are not?

The viruses that cause the flu and COVID-19 can mutate quickly.

 These mutations, or changes to the virus, make it harder for the body to identify the virus and mount an immune response provided by a previous vaccine or infection. To respond to this, vaccines are updated to provide protection against the most likely strain that is circulating so your body is more likely to identify the virus and mount an immune response to either lessen or prevent the disease.

Other viruses that cause disease either do not mutate quickly or mutate in a way that doesn't affect your body's ability to recognize the virus. For these viruses, updated vaccines are not needed because your body is still able to identify the virus and initiate an immune response to fight it because of the original vaccine.

New RSV prevention options – What you need to know.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV, which could result in hospitalization. To protect against severe RSV, vaccines are available for pregnant people and older adults and immunizations are available for infants and young children.

RSV Vaccine Eligibility

How can I stay healthy?

Aside from vaccination, there are other preventive measures that can be taken to help keep the flu, COVID-19 and RSV at bay.

  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Do not kiss infants and young children who are at high risk for severe infection from RSV and other viruses if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness.
  • Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
  • Avoid touching your face.

What if I do get sick?

Symptoms of the flu, RSV, COVID-19 and the common cold are similar and may include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Because these symptoms are similar, it can be difficult to distinguish between illnesses caused by respiratory viruses. To diagnose a potential case, a diagnostic test is the best way to determine the type of infection.

If you have flu or COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to get tested at the onset of symptoms and get treated as soon as possible. Getting tested early ensures you can take available therapeutics for COVID-19 and the flu to help prevent severe infection and shorten the length of symptoms.

Flu tests can be administered by your health care provider. COVID-19 tests are available from your provider and also are widely available at your local pharmacy and other retailers.

Every household in the United States will be able to order four tests from Covidtests.gov between now and the end of the year. You can also get tests by calling 1-800-232-0233.

Don’t forget to check the expiration date on your at-home COVID-19 tests, especially if they were not purchased recently.

Additional Resources