COVID-19 Advisory: If you think you’ve been exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19), please call the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention at 1-800-232-4636 for further guidance.
Monkeypox Advisory: If you think you have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms, please call the
Georgia Department of Public Health at 1-866-782-4854 for further guidance.
Respiratory viruses are viruses that cause illnesses in the respiratory system. These
illnesses share similar symptoms, risk factors, and prevention strategies. Each year,
respiratory viruses such as influenza (flu), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cause hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths during the
fall and winter virus season.
Symptoms
Respiratory viruses may cause both upper respiratory tract symptoms (the vocal chords
and above) and lower respiratory tract symptoms (below the vocal chords). Some viruses
also affect the nose, throat and lungs, and can lead to serious lung infections, such
as pneumonia.
Examples of respiratory virus symptoms:
Fever
Chills
Fatigue
Cough
Runny or stuffy nose
Decrease in appetite
Sore Throat
Vomiting
New loss of taste or smell
Headache, muscle or body aches
Diarrhea
Weakness
If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing or chest pain), seek
emergency medical care immediately.
What to do when you are sick
CDC recommends when people get sick with a respiratory virus (COVID-19, flu, RSV) that they stay
home and away from others.
You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours:
Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
You have not had a fever (and are not using fever reducing medication).
When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5
days, such as wearing a mask, hygiene, physical distancing and/or testing when you will be around other people indoors.
Preventing Respiratory Viruses
CDC recommends that people use core prevention strategies. These are important steps
you can take to protect yourself and others:
Staying up to date with vaccinationto protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes
flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
Practicing good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently
touched surfaces.
Taking steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
