Preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses
Find out what to do if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness and how to reduce the risk of spreading it to other people.
Different types of respiratory illnesses
There are many different types of respiratory illnesses, such as:
- colds
- coughs
- COVID-19
- flu (influenza)
- whooping cough (pertussis)
- respiratory synctial virus (RSV).
Most respiratory illnesses, like common colds and coughs, cause mild illness and get better on their own.
Other respiratory illnesses, like COVID-19, flu, whooping cough and RSV, can cause more severe illness and can be dangerous for some people, especially:
- babies and young children
- people who are pregnant
- older people
- people with a condition that affects their immune system.
Many respiratory illnesses can cause similar symptoms of being unwell, so it can be hard to tell which illness is making you sick.
Symptoms of a respiratory illness
If you have any symptoms of a respiratory illness, you should stay at home until your symptoms have gone away and you are feeling better.
Symptoms include:
- fever (temperature over 38 degrees celsius)
- cough
- sore throat
- sneezing
- runny or blocked nose
- shivering and feeling very cold
- headache
- tiredness or fatigue
- muscle aches.
Staying home while you are sick is important to reduce your risk of passing your illness on to others.
How respiratory illnesses spread
Respiratory illnesses spread from person to person. When an infected person breathes, speaks, coughs, sneezes or sings, they may spread virus particles.
There are 3 main ways you can get a respiratory illness.
- Breathing in air with virus particles.
- Virus particles landing on your mouth, nose or eyes. For example, from a cough or a sneeze.
- Touching your mouth, nose or eyes when your hands have a virus on them, either through direct contact with someone or by touching contaminated surfaces.
You are usually infectious for about one week when you have a respiratory illness. But you can be infectious for longer for some illnesses, including COVID-19.
You can spread an illness to other people even if you are feeling better, which is why it is very important to take extra precautions when you have been unwell.
Protection from COVID-19
COVID-19 is more infectious than other respiratory illnesses, including the flu, which means it spreads very easily from person to person. COVID-19 can affect anybody, at any time of the year.
The virus can cause very serious illness for some people, and they may need hospital care and medical treatment to get better. For others, COVID-19 can cause death.
Because of this, it is important for these people to avoid getting COVID-19.
People at risk of severe illness for COVID-19
Testing for COVID-19
Testing for COVID-19 is still a public health recommendation. If you have cold, flu or any other COVID-19 symptoms, the first step towards protecting others from COVID-19 is to test yourself for COVID-19 with a rapid antigen test (RAT) to find out if you have the virus.
It is especially important to test for COVID-19 with a RAT if:
- you are at higher risk of severe illness
- you work in a high risk setting such as healthcare, aged residential care or disability services — see return to work guidance
- you have whānau, friends or work colleagues that you regularly spend time with, who could be at higher risk of getting very sick.
COVID-19: Return to work guidance for healthcare workers — Health New Zealandexternal link
Preventing the spread of COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that you isolate for at least 5 days, even if you only have mild symptoms, starting at Day 0. This includes if you have had COVID-19 before. Day 0 is the day your symptoms started, or when you tested positive, whichever came first.
Some people can still be infectious after 5 days. If you are still unwell after you have completed 5 days of isolation, it is recommended that you continue to stay home until you have recovered.
Follow the advice for people who have COVID-19.
Treatment for COVID-19
People with a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are eligible for treatment with COVID-19 antiviral medicines to help them avoid needing hospital care. People can access these medicines if they:
- have COVID-19 and symptoms, and
- became sick within the last 5 days, and
- are eligible for the medicine.
If you are concerned you are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and think you may be eligible for antiviral medicines, contact your GP, pharmacist, healthcare provider or hauora provider to discuss. You do not need to wait until you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Preventing the spread of any respiratory illness
If you have symptoms of a respiratory illness, but you test negative for COVID-19 or you have not tested, you should stay at home until you feel well and your symptoms have gone away.
You should not return to work or school, or spend time with people who could get very unwell, until it has been at least 24 hours since:
- your symptoms have started to improve
- you have not had a fever (a temperature over 38 degrees celsius), and you have not used fever-reducing medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
People who could get very unwell include:
- patients in hospital
- residents of aged care facilities
- babies and young children
- people aged 70 and over
- pregnant people
- people who are severely immunocompromised
- people who have multiple medical conditions.
While you are symptomatic and staying at home to get better, you should:
- avoid contact with other people in your household to protect them from getting sick too
- wear a face mask if you have to leave your home, such as to get healthcare for yourself, to protect others you might come into contact with (for example, other patients sitting in the same waiting room as you before they receive healthcare).
Precautions to take when you have been unwell
When your symptoms have started to improve and you feel well enough to return to your normal activities, you can still be infectious and pass a respiratory illness on to others.
To protect other people from getting sick too, it is recommended you follow these precautions for 5 days after you feel well enough to leave your home and be out around others again:
- Wear a mask, especially when you are in closed indoor spaces where there are other people around you.
- Do not visit hospitals or aged residential care facilities where there are likely to be people at higher risk of getting very sick if they were to get a respiratory illness.
- Practice good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes, and washing or sanitising your hands often.
Healthy habits to stop the spread of infectious illnesses
Stay away from people who could get really sick
Stay away from other people who could also be at risk of becoming very unwell, including:
- babies and young children
- people aged 70 and over
- pregnant people
- people who are severely immunocompromised
- people who have multiple medical conditions.
Returning to work
If you work with people who are at higher risk of getting very sick with respiratory illnesses, you should discuss your return to work with your employer.
There is specific advice for people who work in healthcare.
COVID-19: Return to work guidance for healthcare workers — Health New Zealandexternal link
Who to contact for health advice
If your respiratory symptoms become worse or more frequent, and you feel worried about your health, healthcare services and support are available.
Local healthcare providers
If you or someone in your whānau need to see a doctor, contact your local healthcare provider to arrange an appointment. You can also contact or visit your local community pharmacy to ask for advice. Healthpoint has details of services and opening hours.
Healthline
If you cannot access a doctor or you do not have one, you can call Healthline on 0800 611 116 anytime 24/7 for free health advice and information about what to do next. Interpreter support is available.
In an emergency
In any critical or life-threatening emergency, call 111 from any phone, or go to your nearest hospital emergency department (ED). This includes:
- heavy bleeding
- severe pain (particularly chest pain)
- difficulty with breathing
- severe headache
- sleepiness (hard to wake) or seeming floppy and confused
- severe allergic reactions
- bad burns
- mental health emergencies.