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Respiratory Illness Guidance

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Overview
Masking
OEC COVID-19 memos
Isolation
Reporting
Testing
Vaccinations

Overview

Respiratory viral diseases include flu, RSV and COVID-19. CDC updated its guidance on these diseases on Friday, March 1, 2024. The CT Department of Public Health issued updated Respiratory Viral Disease Guidance [Spanish] on March 15, 2024. This information is consistent with the CDC guidance for managing viral respiratory diseases including COVID-19, Flu and RSV.

COVID-19 remains a health risk to families across the state. OEC continues to recommend that child care and youth camp programs follow:

Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on protecting against COVID-19 and other infections in early care and education programs
Current CDC recommendations and other federal and state agencies regarding Flu, COVID-19 and RSV

Isolation

CDC’s updated guidance recommends that people who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate — staying home and away from others. How long depends on their symptoms. They may return to normal activities when they are:

Fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications (e.g. ibuprofen, acetaminophen) and
Other symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours

Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19.

After you return to normal activities

Some people are still contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period. Taking extra precautions can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.

Upon return to normal activities, people should take added precaution over the next 5 days, such as:

Taking more steps for cleaner air
Enhancing hygiene practices
Wearing a well-fitting mask
Keeping a distance from others
Getting tested for respiratory viruses when they will be around other people indoors

If the person develops fever or starts to feel worse after they have gone back to normal activities, they should isolate again until the conditions to return to normal activities are met.

These updated recommendations apply to all community settings, including schools and child care. Schools and child care providers are encouraged to review and update their viral respiratory disease policies to operationalize the latest CDC guidance, in particular changes to the recommended COVID-19 isolation period.

Masking

OEC recommends:

Mask wearing as part of a return to normal activities after a period of staying home and away from others while sick
Programs have a written policy regarding mask wearing that they share with families and staff
Programs partner with families who want their child to wear a mask, even if it’s not required (for example, because they have immune-compromised family member at home or want to stay healthy before a vacation)

Resources

Learn how to use and care for masks
- Caring for Face Masks in Child Care (English)
  - (Spanish)

How to help young children wear masks

This flyer about helping young children wear masks includes important information and resources you can share with families. You can also check out this flyer:
Help Your Kids Become Mask-Wearing Superheroes (English)
(Spanish)

OEC COVID-19 Memos

Read the final COVID-19 memo about the end of the public health emergency declaration.

You can also explore our archive of expired memos.

Reporting

Child care centers, group child care homes, and youth camps are required to report outbreaks of COVID-19. Learn more about disease reporting.

Reports of any suspected or confirmed outbreak in a school or child care setting is immediately reportable by telephone to both DPH (860-509-7994) and the local health department where the school or child care facility is located. School and child care facilities should continue to work closely with local public health to identify and investigate suspected outbreaks and implement mitigation strategies to limit disease transmission.

Testing