The safest way to prevent the spread of infection is to avoid or limit contact with people who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or any respiratory disease.
The next best thing you can do is follow good hygiene to prevent bacteria and viruses from growing.
Here are quick tips, what you can do:
- If you feel sick, stay home
- Wash your hands. With soap. Then rewash them.
- Stay informed
- With children, keep calm, carry on and get the flu shot
- Don’t stockpile masks
- But do stock up on groceries, medicine, and resources
- Concerned about the stock market? Take a deep breath
Learn More: How Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Spread
Here are some prevention tips in detailed:
Wash your hands
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. How long is 20 seconds? About as long as it takes to sing “ABCs.â€
If soap and water are not immediately available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Stay at home
Don’t go out, except to get medical care, if you’re feeling sick or have any cold or flu symptoms.
Avoid close contact
Stay at least 3 feet away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. This is very important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Cover coughs and sneezes
Close your mouth with the inside of your elbow whenever you sneeze or cough. Throw off any tissues you use right away.
Wear a face mask
If you are sick: You should wear a face mask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a face mask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a face mask if they enter your room.
If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a face mask unless you are caring for someone who is ill (and they are not able to wear a face mask). Face masks may be in short supply, so they should save for caregivers.
Clean and disinfect
Clean any things you touch a lot. Use disinfectants on objects like tables, mobile phones, light switches, countertops, workstations, utensils, toilets, faucets, dishware, and doorknobs.
If surfaces are dusty, clean them by using detergent or soap and water before disinfection.
For disinfection:
The most regular EPA-registered house disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants suitable to the surface.
Options include:
Diluting your household bleach:
- To make a bleach solution, disinfectant mix –
- Five tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water or four teaspoons bleach per liter of water
Copy the manufacturer’s instructions (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.) for application and proper ventilation. Double-check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never combine household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser.
Alcohol disinfectant solutions:
- Ensure that the solution has at least 70% alcohol.
The above mentioned are some directions to protect yourself.
As a family, you have to plan and make decisions about how you will protect your family during a COVID-19 outbreak. Creating a household plan can help you in protecting the health of those you care about in the event of an epidemic of COVID-19 in your community.
Use this checklist to help you take action to plan and protect the health of your family.
PLAN AND PREPARE:
- Get up-to-the-minute information about local COVID-19 activity from public health administrators
- Consider members of the household that may be at higher risk, such as older adults, infants, pregnant women, and people with severe chronic sicknesses.
- Ask your neighbors what their plan includes.
- Create a list of local organizations you and your household will contact in case you need access to information, healthcare services, support, and resources.
- Plan an emergency contact list, including family, friends, neighbors, carpool drivers, healthcare providers, teachers, employers, the local public health department, and other community resources.
- Arrange a room in your house to quarantine or separate sick household members from others.
TAKE ACTION:
In case of an outbreak in your community, protect yourself and others:
Stay home and talk with your healthcare provider if you develop fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
If you see emergency warning signs for COVID-19, get medical attention immediately.
In grown-ups, emergency warning signs (This list is not all-inclusive. Please advise with your medical provider for any other symptom that is critical or concerning):
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- Bluish lips or face
Stay away from others who are sick:
- Limit close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet)
- Put your household plan into action
- Continue to practice everyday preventive actions
- If someone in the household is infected, quarantine them into the prepared room
- If caring for a household member, follow recommended precautions and monitor your health
- Keep surfaces disinfected
- Avoid sharing personal items
If you become infected, stay in contact with others by phone or email:
- Stay informed about the local outbreak situation
- Notify your work if your schedule needs to change
- Take care of the emotional health of your household members, including yourself
- Take additional concern for those at the highest risk, particularly older adults and those who have severe underlying health conditions.
- Consider staying at home and away from crowds if you or a family member are an older adult or have underlying health issues
- Make sure you have access to several weeks of medications and supplies in case you need to stay home
- When you go out in public, keep away from others who are suffering and limit close contact with others
- Practice good hand hygiene
Take the following steps to help protect your children during an outbreak:
- Inform your child’s school if your kid becomes infected with COVID-19
- Keep track of school dismissals in your community
- Discourage children and teens from gathering in other public places
