To protect yourself and others from infections by respiratory pathogens, the following advice should be observed:

• Anyone with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection should stay at home for three to five days and until the symptoms have clearly improved.
• During this time, direct contact with people, especially those at increased risk for a severe course of disease, should be avoided if possible.
• If the symptoms worsen, do not improve, or if you belong to a risk group with a higher probability of a severe course of disease, you should consult your general practitioner.
• At the doctor's office, a test for respiratory pathogens can be done after medical evaluation.
• If rapid antigen tests for a viral respiratory pathogen are used at home, it should be noted that a negative test result does not necessarily exclude an infection with this virus.
  A positive result, however, gives a good indication for further action, which should be considered accordingly depending on one's own state of health (belonging to a risk group) and contact with people of a risk group.
• The probability of transmission of respiratory pathogens in closed rooms can be reduced by appropriate behaviour, including regular ventilation (‘shock ventilation’). People with acute respiratory symptoms should wear a mask for the protection of others. This is especially important if close contact with a person from a risk group cannot be avoided.
• A correctly worn mouth-nose protection/medical face mask can be an additional protection against infection indoors in phases of strong virus circulation (flu wave, COVID-19 wave, RSV disease wave). In particular, people who belong to a risk group should consider this option for self-protection.
• Important: Vaccinations against COVID-19, influenza, RSV and pneumococci should be up-to-date according to the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO); see also the immunisation schedule.