Respiratory viruses are viruses that cause illnesses in the respiratory system. These illnesses share similar symptoms, risk factors, and prevention strategies. Every year, respiratory viruses such as influenza (flu), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cause hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths during the fall and winter virus season. CDC

CDC's Respiratory Virus Guidance provides practical recommendations and information to help people lower health risks posed by a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV.

The CDC recommends that all people use core prevention strategies. These are important steps you can take to protect yourself and others:

• Stay up to date with immunizations
• Practice good hygiene
• Take steps for cleaner air
• When you may have a respiratory virus:
  • Use precautions to prevent the spread
  • Seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment

COVID-19, Flu, and RSV are respiratory viruses with overlapping symptoms, but each has unique traits. Symptoms can vary by age, vaccination status, and strain.

• COVID-19: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion, fatigue, body aches, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell (more common with earlier variants). Symptoms can vary with new variants.
• Flu: Sudden onset of fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, headache, and extreme fatigue. Children may also have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or ear infections.
• RSV: Cold-like symptoms in adults and older kids—low-grade fever, cough, congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and occasional wheezing. In young children, it can cause bronchiolitis or pneumonia, with severe cases leading to breathing difficulty or bluish lips. Ear infections are also common in preschoolers.

Our Clinical Health Services (CHS) team at Harris County Public Health (HCPH) offers a variety of services related to these respiratory viruses, including prevention, vaccination, and educational resources.

For COVID-19, we provide vaccines and booster shots at little to no cost to the public through our clinics and mobile health expansion team. Additionally, our team works closely with local health partners to monitor the spread and offer updates on new variants.

For Influenza, we administer flu vaccines during the fall and winter seasons at our clinics and through our mobile health expansion team. We also provide educational materials to the public on flu prevention and offer guidance on when to seek medical attention if someone is experiencing symptoms.

For RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), we administer RSV vaccines seasonally at little to no cost to the public through our clinics and mobile health expansion team. We also provide important educational resources for parents and caregivers, particularly for high-risk groups like infants and elderly individuals. We also share information on how to prevent the spread of RSV, including handwashing and proper respiratory hygiene.

CHS also ensures continuity of care by providing a referral to establish a Primary Care Provider (PCP). These referrals connect clients to consistent, preventive, and comprehensive healthcare services. This helps manage chronic conditions, reduces emergency room visits, and supports overall health equity by ensuring ongoing access to medical care for community members.

As of right now, only the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are given annually. RSV vaccines are given as per the CDC recommendations.

Flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines may be given at the same visit. For eligible patients, this means that if you're only able to make one trip to get your fall and winter vaccines, you can get all of those vaccines at the same visit. Talk with your health care provider about this option. If you prefer to receive each vaccine at a separate visit, there is no minimum waiting period between vaccines. CDC

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is highly contagious and can spread rapidly from person to person. While it most often causes respiratory symptoms, similar to those of a cold, the flu, or pneumonia, COVID-19 can affect more than just the lungs and respiratory system. Other parts of the body may also be impacted. Most people experience mild symptoms, but in some cases, the illness can become severe. CDC

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. Other people can breathe in these droplets and particles, or these droplets and particles can land on others' eyes, nose, or mouth. In some circumstances, these droplets may contaminate the surfaces they touch. Anyone infected with COVID-19 can spread it, even if they do NOT have symptoms. COVID-19 can even spread from people to animals in some situations. CDC

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. CDC

Experts think that influenza viruses spread mainly by droplets expelled when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk. CDC

Most healthy adults who are ill with influenza may infect other people beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children and people with weakened immune systems may infect other people for an even longer period. The virus can also be spread by people who are infected but have no symptoms. DSHS

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that infects the nose, throat, and lungs. RSV symptoms make it difficult to distinguish it from the common cold or other respiratory viruses (like the flu or COVID-19). RSV spreads in the fall and winter along with other respiratory viruses. It usually peaks in December and January. CDC

RSV spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through contact with contaminated surfaces or secretions (like kissing a sick child or touching shared objects). Most people spread RSV for 3–8 days, but infants and those with weakened immune systems can spread it for up to 4 weeks. DSHS