The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its recommendations for how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. The update addresses risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV.

When sick with a respiratory virus, the CDC’s updated guidance recommends staying home and away from others. For people with COVID-19 and influenza, the recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication.

Once normal activities are resumed, CDC encourages additional prevention strategies for the next 5 days to curb disease spread. This includes enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses. Enhanced precautions are especially important to protect those most at risk for severe illness, including those over 65 and people with weakened immune systems.

The new CDC guidelines do not apply to healthcare personnel who remain subject to current CDC recommendations, nor does it supersede accommodations required under federal civil rights laws.

As discussed here, similar recommendations were put into effect in California in early January 2024.