Prevention
About COVID-19 and how it spreads
To understand how to protect yourself from COVID-19, first you need to
understand how it spreads. COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person.
It spreads when respiratory droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an
infected person lands in the nose or mouth of someone nearby (within 6
feet). COVID-19 can also be spread by people who don't exhibit symptoms
Basic preventative measures
-
Wash your hands often: use soap and water and wash your hands for at
least 20 seconds
-
Social distancing: avoid close contact with others by maintaining 6 feet
of distance, including distancing yourself from those in your household
who are sick
-
Wear a mask: use a mask to cover your mouth and nose when around others
to prevent yourself from spreading the virus
-
Cover coughs and sneezes: use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when
you sneeze or cough, and immediately through the tissue away and wash
your hands
-
Clean and disinfect: regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched
surfaces as well as any dirty surfaces
-
Monitor your health: regularly check for symptoms and take your
temperature if symptoms develop
-
For more information about COVID-19 Preventative Measures, visit the CDC How to Protect Yourself and Others Page.
More about masks, gloves, and cleaning your home
Wearing a Mask
- Masks may not necessarily protect you from contracting the virus, but they should be used to prevent you from spreading the virus if you are unkowingly infected.
- Masks can help protect those around you who are at higher risk for contracting the virus: older adults, those with medical conditions, or workers who frequently come in close contact with others.
- Social distancing and other preventative measures need to be practiced in addition to wearing a mask.
- Those who aren't healthcare workers shouldn't use N95 respirators or surgical masks because they are in low supply and should be reserved for healthcare workers.
-
For more information about masks, visit the
CDC About Masks Page.
Wearing Gloves
- Wear gloves when cleaning & disinfecting your home and when caring for someone who's sick.
- After removing and disposing your gloves, wash yourhands.
- Don't try to reuse or disinfect disposable gloves.
- Gloves don't need to be worn outside the instances stated above.
- For more information about gloves, visit the CDC When to Wear Gloves Page.
Cleaning Your Home
- Wear gloves and use soap and water before using disinfectant.
- Soap and water reduce the number of germs and dirt, while disinfectant kills germs.
- Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces.
- It's recommended to use an
EPA-registered household disinfectant.
- When disinfecting, be sure to follow all instructions on the label, keep surfaces wet, and make sure you have good ventilation.
- More information about cleaning and disinfecting, as well as instructions for cleaning soft surfaces, electronics, and
laundry items can be found on the
CDC Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home Page.
Other resources