New Haven, CT (Dec. 16, 2025) - As winter sets in, hospitals across the region are seeing an increase in respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses, including flu, COVID-19, RSV and norovirus. Yale New Haven Health is committed to providing the highest level of care and wants to help patients make informed decisions about where to seek treatment.
Simple actions, like staying up to date on vaccinations, practicing good hand hygiene and staying home when you feel unwell, can help keep individuals, families and communities reduce the spread of infection.
Patients and visitors at Yale New Haven Health facilities are recommended to wear a mask and required to do so if they have a respiratory tract infection. At this time, our staff are required to wear masks during patient interactions.
Call 911 or go to the Emergency Department (ED) for life-threatening or serious symptoms, including:
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Sudden confusion or neurological changes
• Partial or full paralysis
• Major burns
• Head injuries or trauma
Check our ED wait times and find an Emergency Department near you.
“Our Emergency Department is experiencing high patient volumes,” said Arjun Venkatesh, MD, chief of Emergency Medicine for Yale New Haven Hospital and chair of Emergency Medicine for Yale School of Medicine. “We encourage the community to understand when emergency care is necessary and when a primary care provider or other options may be more appropriate.”
If you experience fever, body aches, cough, or congestion, upset stomach, contact your primary care provider for guidance.
If you do not have a primary care provider, visit one of our Walk-In or Urgent Care Centers. To find a location, visit Walk-in Clinic, Illness & Injury Treatment | Yale New Haven Health Urgent Care.
Virtual visits are available 24/7 for minor illnesses and are often covered by insurance. For minor medical issues, Virtual Care is a convenient option often covered by insurance. Conditions include:
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Coughs and colds
• Headaches
• Sinus infections
• Joint pain
• Earaches
Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS), the largest and most comprehensive healthcare system in Connecticut, is recognized for advanced clinical care, quality, service, cost effectiveness and commitment to improving the health status of the communities it serves. YNHHS includes five hospitals – Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, Westerly and Yale New Haven hospitals, several specialty networks and Northeast Medical Group, a non-profit medical foundation with several hundred community-based and hospital-employed physicians. YNHHS is affiliated with Yale University and Yale Medicine, the clinical practice of the Yale School of Medicine and the largest academic multi-specialty practice in New England. Yale New Haven Hospital is the primary teaching hospital of Yale School of Medicine. www.ynhhs.org
