Protect yourself and those you care about
We all have the responsibility to protect ourselves, our families, friends, and community. Here are things that you can do to stay safe and stop the spread of COVID-19:
- Practice social distancing (for example, avoiding crowded gatherings and staying at least six feet from others).
- Wear a cloth mask in public.
- Wash your hands often 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.
- Cover your cough and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow.
- Stay home if you’re sick and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
What is Social Distancing?
Social distancing means staying home as much as possible, staying at least 6 feet away from other people while in public, and avoiding gatherings with many people present. Everyone should wash their hands frequently, for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. These are the best ways to protect yourself and our communities from the spread of COVID-19. Brief close contact (being within 6 feet for a short time) is less likely to spread the virus.
How to wash your hands
Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick and keep from spreading germs to others. It is particularly important to wash your hands at appropriate times before, during and after preparing food, after using the toilet and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
So, how should you wash your hands to make sure they are clean? Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you need a timer, hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
If clean, running water is not accessible, use soap and available water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol to clean your hands.
Steps to protect yourself from COVID-19
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