By Ruth Bayang
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
The Washington State Health Department (DOH) has updated its advice for dealing with illnesses like COVID-19, the flu, and RSV. These updates are similar to what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested, but they offer more tips on how to prevent spreading these illnesses after you’ve been sick. They also give extra advice for protecting people who might get very sick from these viruses.
Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett of DOH said things are better than they were during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we still need to be careful.
“While life has returned to normal in many ways, we must keep in mind that respiratory viral infections such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV remain a deadly threat to many people in the community with chronic diseases and weakened immune systems. Every week, more than a dozen people die from COVID-19 in our state. We must not stop until this number reaches zero.”
One big change in the guidelines is how long you should stay away from others after being sick with one of these illnesses. Before, it was recommended to isolate for at least five days after showing symptoms of COVID-19.
Now, the DOH said you should wait until your symptoms have improved and you haven’t had a fever for at least 24 hours before going back to your normal activities. But even after you start feeling better, you might still be able to spread the illness to others.
For example:
- People with COVID-19 can still spread it for 5-10 days after they get sick.
- People with the flu can spread it for up to 5-7 days after getting sick.
- People with RSV can spread it for 3 to 8 days after getting sick.
- To be safe, the DOH suggests taking extra precautions during the first 5 days after you start feeling better, like wearing masks, washing your hands frequently, and staying away from people when you can.
The guidelines also talk about how to protect people who are more likely to get very sick from these illnesses, like older adults or people with weak immune systems. They say you should avoid being around these people until:
- At least 10 days after you first show symptoms, or if you didn’t have symptoms, until 10 days after you tested positive for COVID-19.
- You get a negative COVID-19 test after testing positive before.
Even though these are the new guidelines from the Health Department, they remind everyone to follow any rules from their local health department, work, school, or other places. Employers should follow the rules from the state’s Labor & Industries Department, and healthcare places should follow special rules from the CDC to keep everyone safe.
To view the full guideline, read What To Do When You Are Sick With COVID-19 or Another Respiratory Virus.
Made possible in part by the Washington State Department of Health through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This information does not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Washington State Department of Health or the Department of Health and Human Services.