Preparing for the Fall and Winter Virus Season
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Fall and winter are when viruses that cause respiratory disease usually circulate more heavily. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were the main causes of severe respiratory disease during these times of year. Although some people have mild symptoms when they catch the flu or RSV, others get sick enough to be hospitalized. Some seasons are more severe than others based on strains of the viruses circulating and immunity to these viruses.
Respiratory disease season lasts from October through May in the United States, peaking between December and February. The timing and duration of virus activity have been unpredictable since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports early increases in some viruses, employers can plan to prepare for peak activity. Furthermore, the CDC predicts a possible increase in hospitalizations due to new COVID-19 variants or a severe flu season paired with waves of COVID-19 and RSV cases.
With respiratory infections likely in the fall and winter seasons, it’s important for employers to consider ways to mitigate or address illness among employees to help keep workers healthy and productive. This article highlights best practices for employers during the 2023-24 respiratory season.
Employer Guidance
While the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health emergency have officially ended, the coronavirus still has the potential to disrupt workplaces for the foreseeable future. As other respiratory viruses and infections spread during the fall and winter, employers should do their due diligence and continue incorporating employee health and safety in current workplace plans, policies and benefits.
Consider the following best practices for addressing employee health and safety during the 2023-24 respiratory virus season:
- Review organizational risks. Even though there are no longer any federal, state or local mandates related to COVID-19, employers can independently assess exposures and determine how to respond. Employers could identify the hazards and risks for their on-site workplaces and implement controls (e.g., personal protective equipment and administrative or engineering controls).
- Establish remote work policies. If the workforce is primarily on-site, employers can consider having a backup plan to allow employees to work from home when dealing with virus-related symptoms. Some respiratory illnesses may not be debilitating in all cases, so employees can still work but remain isolated to reduce the chances of others getting infected.
- Review paid time off and leave policies. Expanding leave policies, including allowing negative balances in paid time off banks and leave donation or sharing programs, could be helpful to employees battling illness in these seasons. Policies may also accommodate employees to take time off when they or their family members are sick.
- Encourage healthy employee behaviors. Employee education is critical for healthy employee behavior changes. Vaccinations have been shown to reduce hospitalizations, so employers can encourage employees to get vaccinated. This fall, vaccines for the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are available. Aside from vaccinations, people need to get a good night’s sleep, stay active and drink plenty of water to keep their immune systems strong. Employers could also encourage workers to eat a nutritious diet of healthy grains, fruits, vegetables and fiber. Employee benefits could support these aspects of personal health and wellness or even incentivize healthy behaviors.
- Keep cleaning supplies on hand. If employees are working on-site, it can be beneficial to have hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies available for employee use. Businesses can encourage good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene to help prevent the spread of illnesses.
- Foster open communication. Employers can encourage employees to talk to their managers if they’re experiencing any health issues, including long-lasting ones that may impact their performance. Training for managers could also help them respond appropriately to such conversations, which could properly address employee concerns, strengthen employee well-being and reduce legal risks.
In general, employers must stay agile and accommodating while adapting to the post-pandemic workplace. Without local, state or federal COVID-19-related mandates, employers have more ownership of how they address the respiratory season while protecting and supporting their workforces.
For More Information
Along with the flu and RSV, COVID-19 has become a part of the respiratory virus season. As infections and hospitalizations are expected, employers can review workplace policies and consider ways to protect and support employees who may catch a respiratory infection this season.
For the latest updates about the current respiratory disease season, visit the CDC’s website. Contact us today for additional workplace strategy guidance.
- Published in Blog
Understanding The Difference Between RSV, Flu and COVID-19
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Health experts warn of a “tripledemic” surge this winter as Americans face the threat of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza (flu) and COVID-19. In the last couple of years, both the flu and COVID-19 have been prominent in the United States, but with the addition of RSV’s prevalence this year, there are new risks when catching any of these illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) surveillance has shown an increase in RSV detections and RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in multiple U.S. regions.
With several viruses circulating this winter, you may worry about every cough or sneeze and wonder what you have. Since these illnesses are all caused by viruses that affect your respiratory system, they also share some symptoms. This can make it challenging to know what you may be sick with when feeling under the weather. This article highlights the differences between RSV, flu and COVID-19 based on CDC information.
RSV
RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Almost all children will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV tends to spread via surface droplets, especially high-touch areas.
RSV symptoms can appear within four to six days after getting infected. Common symptoms include:
- A runny nose
- Decreased appetite
- Fever
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
These symptoms usually appear in stages—not all at once. Very young infants with RSV may only experience symptoms like irritability, decreased activity and breathing difficulties.
Flu
Flu activity typically peaks between December and February, although significant activity can last as late as May. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, flu activity timing and duration have been less predictable.
Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly and vigorously and are more severe than a cold. Common symptoms include:
- High-grade fever or chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Fatigue
People with the flu often feel some or all of the above symptoms. Most people who get the flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some will develop a wide range of complications because of the flu. For example, sinus and ear infections are moderate complications, while pneumonia is serious.
COVID-19
COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and tiny particles that contain the virus. These droplets and particles can be breathed in by others or land on their eyes, noses or mouth.
Symptoms can appear two to 14 days following exposure to COVID-19. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. Common symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Diarrhea
This list doesn’t include all possible symptoms because symptoms may change as new COVID-19 variants emerge and can vary depending on a person’s vaccination status. As such, the CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older and boosters for everyone 5 years and older.
Summary
Because there is some overlap between symptoms, it may be difficult to determine whether you have RSV, the flu or COVID-19 without being tested. For more information about these viruses, visit the CDC’s website.
If you’re not feeling well, stay home and call your doctor to explain your symptoms or take an at-home COVID-19 test, if available. A health care provider can also test to determine if you have RSV, the flu or COVID-19.
- Published in Blog