Respiratory Illnesses

This page brings together key information on respiratory viruses for both the public and healthcare partners. For the public, you'll find practical steps to protect yourself and your family, guidance on when to be extra cautious, and links to helpful tools and resources. For providers and laboratories, we outline Alabama's current reporting requirements, surveillance systems, and support resources to ensure accurate and timely disease tracking.

Use the links and sections below to go directly to the information that applies to you. Content is updated as guidance changes, and quicklinks are included throughout for fast access to forms, dashboards, and national resources.

For the Public
For Providers and Labs

For the Public

How to Protect Yourself and Others

Every year, millions of people in the U.S. get sick from respiratory viruses, and thousands are hospitalized or die. The good news: simple steps can lower your risk.

Who's at higher risk? Anyone can get sick, but some people (like older adults, young children, and those with health conditions) are more likely to get very sick. If you or someone you're around is at high risk, prevention is especially important.

Core Prevention Strategies (For Everyone)

Stay up to date on vaccines. Ask your doctor which shots you and your family need.
Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often and clean surfaces people touch a lot.
Improve air quality. Increase ventilation when possible.
If you're sick:
- Stay home and avoid contact with others.
- If you're at higher risk, get medical care quickly—treatments can help prevent severe illness.

Additional Prevention Strategies (Extra Protection)

Wear a mask in crowded or higher-risk settings.
Keep a distance from others, especially if sick.
Use tests to check for infection.

These extra steps are especially helpful if you don't know the health risks of those around you.

Key Times to Be Extra Careful

When viruses are spreading widely in your community. (Tip: get vaccinated before this happens so you're protected in time.)
If you or those around you were recently exposed, are sick, or are recovering.
If you or those around you have conditions that raise the risk of severe illness.

Quicklinks

For Providers and Labs

Influenza

Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet)

The CDC monitors flu activity through ILINet, a nationwide network of healthcare providers who report weekly the percentage of patients with flu-like illness. This tracks flu trends but not exact case counts, since not all providers participate, flu isn’t reportable, and many people don’t seek care or testing.

Alabama providers in ILINet report weekly the number of patients seen and those with influenza-like illness (fever ≥100°F plus cough and/or sore throat). A flu test is not required.

To join, email the Infectious & Outbreaks Diseases Division, call 1-800-338-8374, or complete the ADPH ILINet Application.

Reporting Influenza Cases and Deaths

In Alabama, healthcare and facility leaders (including physicians, nurses, medical examiners, lab directors, school and daycare directors) must report influenza-associated deaths as a Standard Notification of Notifiable Disease.

Nationally, flu deaths in children under 18 and human infections with a novel influenza A virus are notifiable conditions reported through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).

Other influenza virus infections are not nationally notifiable but may be reported in some states. For more information, visit REPORT (Rules for Every Provider and Organization to Report on Time).

COVID-19

Reporting Positive Results, Deaths, and Probable Cases

As of April 14, 2024, only cases in congregate living facilities must be reported. These include residential care, assisted living, intermediate care, skilled nursing, correctional facilities, shelters, mental health facilities, dormitories, and residential camps.

Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs)

Report resident cases, hospitalizations, and deaths using the COVID-19 LTC Investigation Form.
Skilled nursing facilities meet this requirement by reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

Correctional & Detention Facilities

Report resident cases and deaths using the COVID-19 Correctional Facility Investigation Form.
The type of congregate living facility in which the patient resides must be completed in the patient demographic section of the form.
This form applies to prisons, jails, youth services, work releases, and correctional-based group homes.
Point-of-care testing results must be included on the form; commercial lab results are reported electronically by the lab.

Other Congregate Living Facilities

Use the COVID-19 REPORT Card to report positive resident cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Do not use this form for LTCFs or correctional facilities.

Laboratories

Must report all positive and negative COVID-19 results electronically within 24 hours.
Faxed reports are not accepted.
To enroll staff in the reporting system, contact [email protected].
For additional details, please see the Memo Defining Electronic Laboratory Reporting.

Quicklinks

Page last updated: October 8, 2025