2/15/25
How to prevent COVID, flu, and pneumonia before and after exposure:
1. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, discarding used tissues. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow instead.
2. Teach children the correct way to wash their hands. Clean frequently touched surfaces regularly. To clean your hands, wet them with clean water, and lather them with soap. Rub the backs, fingers, and nails. Scrub for 20 seconds, using the "Happy Birthday" song as a timer. Rinse thoroughly under clean water.
3. Use household cleaners that contain soap or detergent to remove germs and dirt on surfaces.
4. Get a flu COVID-19 vaccines for most people, especially those ages 75 and older. The CDC COVID guidelines recommend adults aged 60-74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease get an RSV immunization. Consider getting multiple vaccines at once, as flu, COVID-19, and RSV can be given at the same visit. For those who prefer different vaccination schedules, there is no specific waiting time after the previous vaccine.
5. In infants, either the pregnant mother gets an RSV vaccine or the infant gets an immunization with an RSV monoclonal antibody.
6. Go back to normal activities when symptoms are improving and you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Take additional precautions over the next 5 days, such as cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when around others indoors. Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus even if you feel better, and stay home and away from others until symptoms improve and you have not had a fever.
7. Bring fresh air into your home by opening doors and windows or using exhaust fans. If you have an HVAC system, set the fan to "on" when visitors are present and use pleated filters. Change the filter every three months or as advised by the manufacturer. Use a portable HEPA cleaner.
By: Evan Redmond, Pharm.D.
