RESPIRATORY ILLNESS
WHAT ARE RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES?
Respiratory illnesses are viruses that affect parts of the body that help you breathe, including sinuses, lungs, throat and airways.
The most common respiratory illnesses are flu, Covid, and RSV. These are most prevalent during the fall and winter, but you can get sick from any of these any time of the year.
There are immunizations to protect you against different respiratory illnesses. Learn more about getting your immunizations.
Flu
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs.
Prevention
Follow these steps to help protect yourself from the flu.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the annual flu vaccine.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Cover coughs and sneezes with tissue. Throw the tissue away after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects often.
Symptoms
If you are sick with flu, you may feel some or all of these symptoms:
Fever/feeling feverish or chills
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Muscle or body aches
Headaches
Fatigue (tiredness)
Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
Vaccine
Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses and missed work and school due to flu. If you do get the flu, it can also make symptoms less severe and reduce flu-related hospitalizations and deaths.
The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older every season with rare exceptions.
RSV
RSV is a common virus that typically causes cold-like symptoms. While most people get better in a week or two, it can be severe, especially for infants and older adults who might need hospitalization.
Prevention
Follow these steps to help protect yourself and those around you from RSV.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your shirt sleeve, not your hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Avoid close contact with others, such as kissing, shaking hands, and sharing cups and eating utensils.
Clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs and mobile devices.
Symptoms
Symptoms of RSV infection typically appear in stages and usually include:
Runny nose
Decrease in appetite
Coughing
Sneezing
Fever
Wheezing
RSV can be very dangerous in young infants. The only RSV symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties. This can make it difficult to determine the seriousness of the illness. It is important to pay attention to these symptoms and seek medical help.
Immunization
RSV infections can be dangerous for certain adults.
The RSV vaccine protects adults over 60 from RSV-related complications since aging weakens the immune system. Those with certain health issues are at even higher risk. If you're 60 or older, discuss getting the RSV vaccine with your doctor.
Infants can be protected by the maternal RSV vaccination during pregnancy or after birth by immunization with the RSV monoclonal antibody.
RSV and Babies
RSV can lead to serious lung conditions like bronchiolitis and pneumonia, especially in children under 1 year old. It's the top cause of these illnesses in this age group.
If you have cold-like symptoms, you should avoid contact with babies and young children at increased risk for severe RSV disease.
Covid
Covid is a serious virus that spreads quickly and is very contagious. More than 1.1 million people in the United States have died from Covid since 2020.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Covid infection may include:
Fever or chills
New loss of taste or smell
Coughing
Fatigue
Muscle, body and headaches
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Some people may experience long Covid with respiratory, heart, neurological and digestive symptoms that last many months or even years.
Prevention
Follow these steps to help protect yourself and those around you from Covid.
Stay 6 feet away from others
Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated areas
Wash hands frequently
Treatment
The Covid vaccine protects against severe disease. Talk to your healthcare provider to know if you’re due for a Covid shot.
If you are having confusion, trouble breathing, chest pain, or pale, gray skin, seek medical attention immediately.
There are antiviral treatments available to help alleviate symptoms. To be effective, these should be started within 5 to 7 days of symptom appearance.
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough is very contagious and spreads through close contact when droplets are inhaled.
Prevention
Follow these steps to help protect yourself and those around you from whooping cough.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your shirt sleeve, not your hands.
Throw used tissues away immediately.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Avoid sharing the same breathing space with others, especially newborns.
Pregnant women should get vaccinated against whooping cough to help pass immunity to their unborn babies until they are able to receive vaccination at 2 months of age.
Encourage those who will be around your newborn to get vaccinated at least two weeks before baby arrives.
All adults should be vaccinated, even if they are not pregnant.
Symptoms
Early symptoms of whooping cough last 1 to 2 weeks and may include:
Fever less than 100.4
Mild, occasional cough
Runny or stuffy nose
As the illness progresses, coughing fits will begin. These are violent and uncontrolled. They may last up to 10 weeks.
High-pitched “whoop” when inhaling after a coughing fit
Fatigue after a coughing fit
Struggling to breathe
Vomiting during coughing fits
Most babies with whooping cough do not cough, rather they turn blue as they struggle to breathe.
Treatment
Babies are most at risk for whooping cough complications.
If infected with whooping cough, early treatment is key to avoiding serious complications.
Early treatment usually includes antibiotics and resting at home.