Happy Spring!

Respiratory Virus News

Although COVID-19 and RSV numbers are improving, please be aware Influenza is still circulating and is considered at a “moderate” level. Massachusetts Department of Public Health tracks trends of respiratory illness here.

The CDC has updated it’s isolation guidelines for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. Of note, these new guidelines do not apply to medical facilities, hospitals, and clinics.

If you come down with symptoms of COVID-19 or Influenza, please alert me. Paxlovid is still recommended for treatment of COVID-19 for those in higher risk categories.

Additionally, the CDC is recommending that adults 65 years and older receive an additional dose of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. You are eligible to receive that 4 months after the last dose of the 2023-2024 vaccine or at least 4 months after acute illness. Those who are immunocompromised follow different guidelines which can be found here.

Of course, if you or a loved one are in a high-risk category, consider taking extra precautions. General guidelines for prevention can be found here.

Also, you can contribute to accurate data collection for COVID-19 and Flu by reporting your test results.

“The buds swell imperceptibly,
without hurry or confusion,
as if the short spring days were an eternity.”
— Henry David Thoreau