Note: This information is for general guidance and is not a substitute for a medical evaluation.
Contact your primary care clinician
Primary care is a good starting point for mild, stable symptoms and ongoing respiratory conditions.
Call or schedule a visit for:
- Mild cough, runny nose, congestion or low-grade fever
- Symptoms that last longer than expected or keep coming back
- Asthma, COPD or other chronic condition management
- Medication questions, refills or follow-up after urgent care or an ER visit
- Guidance on flu, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines
If you don't have a primary care clinician, now is a great time to establish care. Having someone you can turn to can help you manage symptoms and make decisions about where to go for care during respiratory illness season.
Go to urgent care
When possible, start with your primary care clinician for non-emergency medical needs. Many Tufts Medicine primary care locations offer same-day, evening and weekend appointments.
If you can't get an appointment with your primary care clinician, urgent care is another option for symptoms that aren't life-threatening but need same-day evaluation, particularly when your primary care office is closed. You can often reserve a spot before you go to urgent care.
Consider urgent care for:
- Wheezing or mild breathing difficulty that doesn't interfere with speaking
- Fever with cough, congestion or body aches that are getting worse
- Severe sore throat, ear pain or sinus pain
- Cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms in people at higher risk of complications
- Symptoms that get worse after initially improving or don't resolve after several days
A note about flu and COVID-19: People at higher risk of complications may benefit from antiviral treatment, which works best when started early. Contact a clinician promptly if you think you may need treatment.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room
Some symptoms can signal a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to the closest emergency room immediately for:
- Severe difficulty breathing or being unable to speak because of breathlessness
- Blue or gray lips, face or skin, which can be a sign of low oxygen
- Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, nausea or pain spreading to the arm, back, neck or jaw
- Sudden confusion, fainting or difficulty waking
- A severe allergic reaction with throat or tongue swelling
- Coughing up significant amounts of blood
- Breathing problems after an injury, choking or poisoning
- Rapidly worsening symptoms
If your breathing is severely impaired, don't drive yourself. Call 911.
Quick guide: Where to seek respiratory care
| Symptoms | Where to go |
| Mild cough, congestion or sore throat | Primary care |
| Chronic or recurring respiratory symptoms | Primary care |
| Worsening fever, wheezing or uncomfortable cough | Primary care, urgent care or ER, depending on severity |
| A same-day need that is stable and not life-threatening | Urgent care |
| Severe breathing difficulty, blue lips, chest pain or confusion | Emergency room or 911 |
| Severe allergic reaction or rapidly worsening symptoms | Emergency room or 911 |
Special considerations for people at higher risk
Respiratory illnesses can become serious more quickly in some people. Older adults, infants, pregnant people and those with heart or lung disease or weakened immune systems should contact a clinician early if symptoms develop or worsen.
- Young infants: Babies under 3 months with a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher need prompt medical evaluation.
- Children with breathing difficulties: Blue lips, pauses in breathing, skin pulling inward between or below the ribs, a dip in the skin above the collarbones with each breath, flaring nostrils or difficulty waking are signs that a child needs emergency care.
Help protect yourself during respiratory illness season
Staying up to date on recommended vaccines, washing your hands regularly and staying home when you're sick can help lower your risk of respiratory infections. Learn more in our 2026–2027 guide to respiratory illnesses: What to know this season.
When in doubt, get help
Symptoms can change quickly. If breathing becomes difficult, someone looks seriously ill or it no longer feels safe to wait, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
If you're unsure how to respond to symptoms that aren't an emergency, our Symptom Checker can help you explore next steps and book the right care.
