What to Do if I’m Sick

• Stay away from others: As much as possible, stay away from others. You should stay in a specific “sick room” if possible, and away from other people and pets in your home. Use a separate bathroom, if available.
  • See COVID-19 and Animals is you have questions about pets.

• You should wear a cloth face covering, over your nose and mouth if you must be around other people even at home).

Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical grade facemasks are reserved for healthcare workers and some first responders. You may need to improvise a cloth face covering using a scarf or bandana.

• Wash hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
• Hand sanitizer: If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
• Soap and water: Soap and water are the best option, especially if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid touching: Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Clean high-touch surfaces in your isolation area (“sick room” and bathroom) every day; let a caregiver clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in other areas of the home.

• Clean and disinfect: Routinely clean high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but not your bedroom and bathroom.
  • If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and wait as long as possible after the sick person has used the bathroom.

High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables.

• Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.

• Household cleaners and disinfectants: Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use a household disinfectant.

• • Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Many products recommend keeping the surface wet for several minutes to ensure germs are killed. Many also recommend precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
  • Most EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. A full list of disinfectants can be found here.

• Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and cough. Trouble breathing is a more serious symptom that means you should get medical attention.
• If you are having trouble breathing, seek medical attention, but call first.
  • Call your doctor or emergency room before going in and tell them your symptoms. They will tell you what to do.
• Wear a cloth face covering (covers your nose and mouth): Put on the cloth face covering when you leave your house or when around other people. You don’t need to wear the cloth face covering if you are alone. If you can’t put on a cloth face covering (because of trouble breathing for example), cover your coughs and sneezes in some other way. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. This will help protect the people around you.
• Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider and local health department: Your local health authorities may give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.

People with COVID-19 who have stayed home (home isolated) can stop home isolation under the following conditions:

• If you will not have a test to determine if you are still contagious, you can leave home after these three things have happened:
  • You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use medicine that reduces fevers)
    AND
  • other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved)
    AND
  • at least 14 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared
• If you will be tested to determine if you are still contagious, you can leave home after these three things have happened:
  • You no longer have a fever (without the use medicine that reduces fevers)
    AND
  • other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved)
    AND
  • you received two negative tests in a row, 24 hours apart. Your doctor will follow CDC guidelines.

In any event, all people need to comply with existing stay in place orders from local and state authorities.