Current COVID Protocols

  • Updated March 5, 2024

    The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it is adopting updated guidance from the CDC that streamlines and simplifies recommendations for dealing with the range of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV. The new guidance focuses on protecting those most at risk of serious illness.

    The new CDC guidance no longer requires that those who test positive for COVID-19 isolate for a minimum of five (5) days before returning to work or other activities, and instead focuses on isolation until symptoms improve – which could be shorter or longer than five (5) days. 

    The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it is adopting updated guidance from the CDC that streamlines and simplifies recommendations for dealing with the range of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV. The new guidance focuses on protecting those most at risk of serious illness.

     

    The new CDC guidance no longer requires that those who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for a minimum of five days before returning to work or other activities and instead focuses on isolation until symptoms improve – which could be shorter or longer than five days. The key recommendation for those with any seasonal respiratory virus is to stay home and away from others until their symptoms improve.

     

    The guidance suggests people can return to normal activities when symptoms have been improving for 24 hours,  and if a fever was present, it has been gone for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.

     

    In addition, once people resume normal activities, they are encouraged to take precautions for the next five (5) days to curb disease spread, including:

    • Taking more steps for cleaner air can mean bringing in fresh air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
    • Enhancing hygiene practices include covering coughing and sneezing, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and cleaning frequently-touched surfaces.
    • Wear a well-fitting mask as an additional prevention strategy. 
    • Keeping a distance from others. 
    • Getting tested to prevent the spread of illness to others and seeking healthcare and treatment to avoid the risk of severe illness. 

     

    These precautions also apply to those who never had symptoms but tested positive for a common seasonal respiratory virus and are especially important when it comes to protecting those most at-risk for severe illness, including those over 65 and people with weakened immune systems.

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