Community Health > Disease Prevention

Respiratory Illness

Respiratory illnesses affect the lungs and airways, often leading to symptoms like coughing, difficulty breathing, and chest discomfort.

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STAY IN THE GAME

3 Moves for a Healthier Season

Every year, respiratory illnesses try to knock you out of the game, but you can stay protected. Follow these three proven moves to help keep you healthy and active! Stay home when you’re sick, practice good hands, nose, and mouth hygiene, and get immunized. DEFENSE!

1

Stay Home When Sick

If you're feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness, stay home to prevent spreading the virus to others.

Stay home

2

Practice Hand, Mouth, & Nose Hygiene

Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds after coughing, sneezing, or touching public surfaces. Use 60% alcohol hand sanitizer if needed. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, dispose of tissues, and wash hands immediately.

Practice hygiene

3

Get Immunized

Vaccinations can significantly reduce your risk of illness. Immunization against common respiratory illnesses helps protect you and those around you. Be sure to meet with your primary care physician to discuss the whooping cough vaccine. If you don’t have a primary care provider, you can find one here.

Visit the Community Immunization Clinic Calendar to explore respiratory illness immunization options this season.

Get immunized

Community Respiratory Illness Activity Levels

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Activity Level Threshold Calculation Methodology

Disease activity level thresholds for COVID, Flu, and RSV are calculated using the Moving Epidemic Method (MEM). The epidemic threshold is calculated at the start of the respiratory season using data from the previous five seasons. Because COVID is a new disease that started transmission in 2020 and does not yet have a clear seasonal pattern, the MEM multiple wave algorithm was used to classify waves. To calculate the epidemic threshold for COVID for the 2023-24 season, we used data from February 2020 to September 2023. To calculate the transmission alert thresholds for influenza and RSV for the 2023-24 season, we used data from the following seasons: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2022-23. We excluded the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons because of the COVID pandemic. As our understanding of respiratory viruses continues to grow, we will re-evaluate and update our methods using newer scientific methods as they become available. Because the COVID threshold was calculated from pandemic levels of disease, the threshold will change over time as disease levels change and become more endemic.

Condition Status Week of 10/20-10/26 Illness Activity Level Threshold*

COVID

Low

0.5%

2.65%

Flu

Low

0.00%

1.20%

RSV

Low

0.00%

0.30%

*NOTE: When the percent of ED visits for a virus is above its activity level threshold (ELEVATED), it is a sign that there is substantial spread of that virus in the community.

Respiratory Illness Activity Dashboard for Whitman County

You can view past and current percent of ED visit and hospitalizations for Respiratory Illness (Flu, COVID, & RSV) at the "Disease Activity for Whitman County" dashboard below.

Community Respiratory Illness Immunization Clinics Calendar

NOTE: Some health care clinics are not included in this calendar, since some clinics only offer vaccinations to established patients. Some healthcare clinics have specific days respiratory illness vaccinations will be offered and/or request you call to make an appointment. You can find a list of those clinics and further details below the Community Immunization Clinic Calendar.

All the immunization opportunities below are ONLY for established patients. Please call your healthcare provider for further information or to confirm details.

Pullman Family Medicine, Adult RSV, Flu & COVID offered

  • Saturday, 9/21 8:30-1:30pm
  • Friday, 10/4 8:30-4:30pm
  • Established patients can also call the clinic to make an individual immunization appointment.

Palouse Health Center, Flu & COVID offered

  • Friday, 9/20 8:30-3:30pm
  • Established patients can also call the clinic to make an individual immunization appointment.

Palouse Pediatrics, Pullman, Infant RSV, Flu & COVID offered

  • Sunday, 10/6 9:00-1:00pm
  • Saturday, 10/19 9:00-1:00pm
  • Wednesday, 10/23 2:00-6:00pm
  • Established patients can also call the clinic to make an individual immunization appointment.

Palouse Pediatrics, Moscow, Infant RSV, Flu & COVID offered

  • Friday, 10/11 1:00-5:00pm
  • Wednesday, 10/16 1:00-5:00pm
  • Established patients can also call the clinic to make an individual immunization appointment.

Palouse Medical, Flu offered

  • Clinic dates have not been released. Immunizations will only be offered during these clinic dates.

Pullman Family Residency Clinic, Flu & RSV offered

  • Established patients can call the clinic to make an individual immunization appointment.

SEL Health Center, Flu & COVID offered

  • Patients with SEL insurance can call the clinic to make an individual immunization appointment.