Sunday, December 1 marked the 37th World AIDS Day. This annual observance is an important reminder that we must remain steadfast in our commitment to prevent new HIV infections and provide essential services to all people living with HIV globally.
This year’s theme, Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress, highlights the significant progress that has been made in addressing HIV and AIDS through global and domestic HIV programs over the last four-plus decades, working to ensure that no communities are left behind.
World AIDS Day serves as a day for voices to unite by sharing experiences and standing together in the fight against HIV. Join HIV.gov and its partners to help increase awareness about the HIV epidemic and share resources for health care providers and communities throughout the year.
You can also find sample messages and shareable graphics in HIV.gov’s partner social media toolkit to help you promote World AIDS Day and its related activities.
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The first week of December is National Handwashing Awareness Week (December 1–7) in the United States. This week aims to raise awareness about the importance of handwashing in preventing the spread of germs and illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest, most effective ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness to others. Keeping hands clean is especially important during the winter season to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses. Studies have shown that handwashing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related sicknesses and 1 in 5 respiratory infections, such as a cold or the flu.
If you cook for friends and family this holiday season, be sure to follow these handwashing tips to make sure you have clean hands when preparing food:
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Wash hands before, during, and after preparing food and before eating. Wash your hands often, especially during key times when germs can spread. Be sure to wash before preparing any food and after touching raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
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Wash your hands the right way. Wet your hands with water before applying soap. Scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails for at least 20 seconds before, during, and after handling any food.
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Wash your hands often when you cook. Your hands can spread germs in the kitchen, so always wash your hands to prevent cross-contamination.
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Wash hands before and after using gloves. Gloves can get contaminated with germs from your hands. Be sure to wash your hands before and after using gloves to prevent the spread of germs.
Learn how to keep your community safe through handwashing by visiting CDC’s Life is Better with Clean Hands webpage and downloading free resources and materials. Use the hashtags #KeepHandsClean and #ManténLasManosLimpias on your social media platforms to promote the importance of handwashing.
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National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW), observed December 2–6 this year, is a national awareness week highlighting the importance of the influenza (flu) vaccine. NIVW is a critical opportunity to remind everyone that there's still time to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting their annual flu vaccine this season if they have not already.
Vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, visits to doctors’ offices, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as make symptoms less severe and reduce flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. Visit GetMyFluShot.org to find a clinic near you.
Increasing flu vaccination among racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, who are often less likely to be vaccinated against flu and more likely to be hospitalized with flu, is especially important. Since 2010, flu vaccination coverage has been consistently lower among Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults. During the 2023–2024 season, flu vaccination coverage was:
- 50% among Asian adults
- 49% among white adults
- 42% among Black/African American adults
- 35% among AI/AN adults
- 35% among Hispanic/Latino adults
Visit the CDC website to access more information about the 2024–2025 flu season and view this season’s vaccine recommendations. To learn more about how to protect yourself, your family, and your community from the flu this winter, visit the CDC’s influenza webpage, also available in Spanish. Check out the 2024 NIVW toolkit for shareable resources and content.
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As winter weather approaches, now is the time to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the respiratory virus season. Take steps to reduce your risk of catching and spreading common respiratory viruses like flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Certain groups of people, including certain racial and ethnic minority populations, experience an unequal burden of severe outcomes from respiratory illness. According to CDC, in December 2023, Hispanic/Latino (11.3%), Black/African American (10.8%), AI/AN (10.4%), Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (10.4%) people had higher percentages of total emergency room visits associated with COVID-19, influenza, and RSV compared to white (9.5%) and multi-racial (9.2%) people.
Vaccines are the best protection against severe respiratory illness. Follow CDC’s Fall and Winter Virus Season Immunization Guide to ensure you know which vaccines are recommended for you and find information about getting flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines at the same time. Find a pharmacy near you that offers vaccines.
While vaccines are your best protection against common respiratory illnesses, it's also important to take preventative measures to lower the spread of infection. Follow these tips to protect yourself, your family and your community from respiratory illnesses this winter:
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Wash Your Hands: Wash your hands well and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Make sure friends and family whom you're around regularly, especially children, know the importance of handwashing.
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Cover Your Coughs and Sneezes: Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow then wash your hands immediately after. Avoid touching your face to help keep germs away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
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Consider Wearing a Mask: Viruses spread easily wherever people gather. Consider wearing a high-quality mask in crowded or indoor areas, especially if you’re sick.
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Stay Home if You’re Sick: Stay home and away from others if you have any symptoms of flu, COVID-19 or RSV.
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Keep Your Home Clean: Clean surfaces regularly to prevent the spread of infection. Ventilating indoor spaces by opening doors and windows helps keep virus particles from building up indoors.
Testing for COVID-19 and flu helps prevent and contain the spread of illness. If you have symptoms or were exposed to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or flu, you should be tested, regardless of your vaccination status. Every home in the United States is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. Learn more and order your tests today by visiting COVIDTests.gov.
For more information and resources to help you prepare for the winter virus season, visit the CDC website.
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In recognition of National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 2–6), the OMH Knowledge Center is sharing a collection of recent articles focused on the flu virus and strategies for prevention. The collection’s topics touch on racial and ethnic disparities in flu vaccination rates among pregnant women, vaccine hesitancy in migrant and refugee populations, and the factors influencing flu vaccination rates in pediatric patients. Many of these resources are available online for free.
You can access this collection through the OMH Knowledge Center online catalog.
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