Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from infectious disease worldwide, particularly affecting the youngest and oldest people in low and middle-income nations. These infections, typically caused by viruses or mixed viral–bacterial infections, can be contagious and spread rapidly. Although knowledge of transmission modes is ever-evolving, current evidence indicates that the primary mode of transmission of most acute respiratory diseases is through droplets, but transmission through contact or infectious respiratory aerosols at short range can also happen for some pathogens in particular circumstances. In modern medicine, infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in health-care settings are of central importance to the safety of patients, health-care workers and the environment, and to the management of communicable disease threats to the global and local community. Application of basic IPC precautions, such as Standard Precautions, is a cornerstone for providing safe health care. In an era of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, IPC in health care is as important now as ever. The management of ARIs is no exception. Because many symptoms of ARIs are common and nonspecific, the application of IPC measures for ARIs in health care can be fraught with difficulty and confusion, especially in outbreaks where resources may be strained. Yet these measures, including early identification, prompt isolation precautions, proper patient placement and adequate ventilation, are essential to contain and mitigate the impact of pathogens that may constitute a major public health threat.