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BROOKLINE — Director of Public Health and Human Services Sigal Rees shares Massachusetts’ new regional guidance regarding respiratory viruses.
On Monday, March 25, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) released updated guidance regarding respiratory viruses. This follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Friday, March 1st. Both the CDC and MDPH have released simplified, updated guidance on how people and communities can best protect themselves from respiratory viruses such as RSV, influenza, and the novel coronavirus. 19. Reducing hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19, widespread immunization, and evidence-based mitigation measures will reduce the risk of common respiratory viral illnesses while protecting those most vulnerable. This new guidance highlights practical recommendations and information for mitigation. serious illness.
Prevention steps and guidance include:
- If you’re eligible, stay up-to-date on vaccinations for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.
- As of March 16, 35.4 percent of Brookline residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19. This is significantly higher than the state’s vaccination rate of 21.2% and the city of Boston’s vaccination rate of 20.7%. 51.3 percent of Brookline residents have received a flu shot, compared to a statewide vaccination rate of 41.1 percent and Boston’s vaccination rate of 40.5 percent. Additional data can be found on the MDPH data dashboard: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/immunizations-for-respiratory-diseases
- To protect against serious illness, everyone over the age of 5 must receive one dose of the latest COVID-19 vaccine.
- Most people living in the United States will still have access to the COVID-19 vaccine for free through their private health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid plans. To find a COVID-19 vaccination site, visit vaccines.gov.
- CDC’s Bridge Access Program provides free COVID-19 vaccines to adults ages 18 and older who do not have health insurance and whose insurance does not cover the full cost of the COVID-19 vaccine. For more information, visit vaccines.gov.
- Homebound people are also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at home through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s At-Home COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Please call the Home Vaccination Central Reception Line at 833-983-0485 to make an appointment.
- Practice good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue, and disinfecting or washing your hands frequently with soap and water.
- Improve air quality by opening windows, using air purifiers, and gathering outdoors.
- Stay at home if you have respiratory symptoms
The CDC no longer recommends 5-day isolation if you test positive for COVID-19. Instead, people infected with respiratory viruses should stay home and away from others and return to normal activities only if their symptoms improve and they do not have a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications.
Upon return to normal activities, additional measures are recommended for 5 days to prevent the spread of the disease. Recommended practices include increasing hygiene practices, wearing well-fitting masks, maintaining distance from others, increasing ventilation for clean air, using indoor air filters, and testing for respiratory viruses. These measures are especially important to protect the most vulnerable, including people over 65 and those with weakened immune systems. The latest information on CDC respiratory virus guidance can be found here. MDPH updates can be found here.
Although respiratory viruses remain a public health threat, more than 98 percent of the U.S. population now has some level of protective immunity against COVID-19. Together, we can protect ourselves and our communities using a unified approach. Let’s work together to keep Brookline healthy.
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