Ahead of respiratory disease season this fall and winter, developing a care plan for vaccination, testing, and treatment can help protect loved ones in long-term care facilities from serious illness and make a potentially stressful time more manageable.

Dr. Katelyn Jetelina and Dr. Bertha Hidalgo explain what you need to know about antiviral treatments.

There are treatment options available that can help reduce the severity of symptoms and the risk of hospitalization and death among people who are at high risk for severe COVID-19. Unfortunately, many of those who need COVID-19 treatments don’t know treatments are an option and aren’t getting them.

Staying up to date with recommended vaccines is your best first line of defense; however, infections may still occur, so it is important to act quickly at the first sign of symptoms or a positive test. If you begin to experience symptoms, there are testing and treatment options available for you.

Ahead of respiratory illness season this fall and winter, developing a care plan for vaccination, testing, and treatment can help protect caregivers and the people they care for from serious illness and make a potentially stressful time more manageable.

Antiviral drugs are important tools to help treat COVID-19 and flu that can help lessen symptoms and lower the risk of hospitalization—especially for people at higher risk for serious illness. Antivirals are prescription-only treatments that must be given early in illness, after the first symptoms begin

Antiviral drugs are important tools to help treat COVID-19 and flu that can help lessen symptoms and lower the risk of hospitalization—especially for people at higher risk for serious illness. Antivirals are prescription-only treatments that must be given early in illness, after the first symptoms begin