Health

Respiratory Illnesses (COVID-19, Flu, RSV)

Stay Healthy this Winter!

Free COVID-19 Home Test Kits: Free COVID-19 home test kits are available at the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment office in Fort Collins, located at 1525 Blue Spruce Drive. Home test kits are also available to order from the federal government here.

 

Looking for flu or COVID-19 vaccines? Click here to visit our Immunizations Clinic page.

 

Are you a farmworker? For information about seasonal and avian flu, scroll down this page. 

 

When it starts getting cold, we see more cases of COVID-19, the flu, RSV, and colds. COVID-19, influenza (flu), and RSV are contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Vaccines for COVID-19, flu, and RSV work to help prevent severe illness and hospitalization.

These illnesses can make us miss work, school, and fun activities. Sometimes, they can even make us really sick and need to go to the hospital. This is especially true for babies and little kids, older people, and people who already have health problems. If you get sick with fever, chills, cough, runny nose, sore throat, or headache, remember to stay home and away from others, including people you live with who are not sick. If you or your child are feeling very sick, talk to a doctor about what medicines might help. 

If you've been sick, you can go back to doing your normal things when you've felt better and haven't had a fever for at least 24 hours (without taking medicine to lower your fever). Even though you feel better, be extra careful for the next 5 days when you're around other people indoors. To help others stay healthy:

  • Open windows or use air filters.
  • Wash your hands often and cough or sneeze into your elbow.
  • Wearing a mask can help protect others.
  • Try to keep some space between yourself and others.

You might still be able to spread the virus even if you feel better, so these precautions are important to protect others, especially those who are high risk for getting very sick.

If you get a fever again or start feeling worse, stay home and away from others until you've felt better and haven't had a fever for at least 24 hours. Then, be extra careful again for the next 5 days.

COVID-19
Influenza (Flu)
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Avian Flu
Colorado Respiratory Viruses Data
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According to CDC, people who work on dairy farms are at higher risk for getting avian flu from sick cows or their milk. Dairy farm workers can protect themselves by:

  1. Wearing protective clothing — like coveralls, gloves, face masks/shields, and goggles —  when working with sick or dead animals, manure, or milk.
  2. Washing hands with soap and water throughout the day, before eating, drinking, or smoking, and before going home. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  3. Cleaning areas that have come in contact with animals, manure, or milk using chemical disinfectants effective against viruses. Follow the directions on the label about how to use the product safely.

If you work with dairy cows suspected or confirmed to have avian flu and you start to feel sick, call CDPHE at 303-692-2700 (after normal business hours: 303-370-9395). The Department can help you get a flu test and medicine if you need it.

If you have questions about sick or dead animals on the farm, ask your farm manager and herd veterinarian.

Avian flu is a virus that naturally spreads among wild birds. It can also infect poultry and other kinds of animals, including cows.

While the risk to the general public is low, avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe them only from a distance. Wild birds can have avian flu even if they don’t look sick. Do not touch sick or dead animals, or surfaces contaminated with animal feces, if possible. Avoid tracking those materials home or to backyard flocks on boots and other items.

Waterfowl hunters, poultry workers, backyard bird flock owners, livestock farmers, and livestock workers are at higher risk of infection. They should take appropriate precautions, including:

  • Wear recommended personal protective equipment, including an N95 respirator, eye protection, and gloves, when in contact with sick birds or animals.
  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water after contact with birds or animals. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Dress game birds in the field when possible and take precautions as outlined by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
  • If you have livestock or poultry, watch your animals for any signs of illness. Report disease to the State Veterinarian’s office by calling 303-869-9130 or using the reportable disease case report form. Learn more about protecting your animals from avian flu on CDA’s website.
  • Notify your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office if you find three or more dead wild birds in a specific area within two weeks, or if you find sick or dead mammals.

Request a Community Flu Vaccine Clinic at Your Dairy or Poultry Farm

LCDHE is an equity-based community vaccination clinic provider. Our clinic works with local organizations to offer vaccination clinics in our community with the goal of reducing barriers to receiving vaccines.  Community-based clinics are currently serving the following populations:

  • Uninsured or underinsured individuals ages 6+
  • Individuals with Medicaid ages 6+
  • Individuals requesting COVID-19 Vaccination

If you are interested in hosting a LCDHE seasonal flu shot vaccination clinic at your farm, please complete this Clinic Request Form. Complete el formulario en español aquí. 

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine this season offers the best protection against serious illness and hospitalization. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Here are some other important ways to keep yourself and your family healthy this fall and winter!

  • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently - washing your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds is one of the best ways to avoid catching the cold, flu, or COVID-19. It's also important to teach children good handwashing. Teach children the five handwashing steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry,  and that washing hands after using the bathroom or before eating are key.
  • Avoid touching your face - when cold and flu germs get on our hands, we can spread those germs to our nose and mouth and become sick.
  • Aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic health problems.
  • Drink wisely - Avoid too many sugary or alcoholic drinks. Drinking alcohol weakens your body's ability to fight infections, increasing the risk of complications, and making it harder to get better if you are sick. View the CDC webpage for additional tips to rethink your drink.
  • Exercise - According to the American Heart Association, adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week. Muscle strengthening activities twice a week are also important to staying healthy.
  • Eat healthy - Lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep you healthy. Some nutrients even play a role in boosting the immune system, including those found in carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes. Other healthy foods for your immune system include citrus fruits, fish, eggs, beans and nuts, yogurt, and protein found in meats, beans, and nuts.
  • Avoid tobacco -   Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free support to help you quit tobacco, when you're ready! Smoking harms the immune system and can make the body less successful at fighting disease. For more information about quitting, visit the CDC's How to Quit Smoking page here.
  • Consider wearing a well-fitting high-quality mask around others, which can help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. 

Free home COVID-19 tests kits are available at the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment office in Fort Collins, located at 1525 Blue Spruce Drive. Test kits are also available to order from the federal government here.

While there is currently no definition for COVID-19 outbreaks in businesses, K-12 schools, camps, or early childhood education settings, we encourage our partners to reach out to us at comm-disease@larimer.org with questions about outbreak-like situations that are affecting a business or facility and with any general communicable disease questions. Outbreaks of other illnesses in these settings should be reported through this form.

If you require additional support please call our Communicable Disease team at 970-498-6708. 

Visit the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment website. To view the data, click the "Wastewater Sample Data" button. 

Public Guidance Document from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

Archived COVID-19 data for Larimer County can be found here. 

COVID-19 resources for health care providers and local public health agencies.


Communicable Disease Questions

comm-disease@co.larimer.co.us

970-498-6708