The following steps can help you protect yourself and limit the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses:
- Wear a cloth face mask when you need to go out in public, even if you don’t feel sick.
- Avoid close contact with others, especially those who show symptoms of a respiratory infection. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others (social distancing), and avoid crowded places and mass gatherings.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, not your hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean all “high touch” surfaces every day. These include countertops, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, phones, keyboards, tablets, toilets, and bedside tables.
- Review and follow CDC travel advisories when planning travel. Visit the CDC’s website for questions to ask before you decide to travel.
