COVID-19 Protection: Essential Precautions for Yourself and Others

Key Precautions Against COVID-19

1. Vaccines and Boosters: Stay up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccination remains the most effective way to reduce severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
2. High-Quality Masks: Wear well-fitting respirators (N95, KN95, KF94) in indoor public spaces, crowded outdoor settings, and high-transmission areas. Surgical masks are a lower-protection alternative.
3. Physical Distancing: Maintain at least 6 feet (2 meters) from people outside your household when feasible, especially indoors.
4. Hand Hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20+ seconds, or use alcohol-based sanitizer (≥60% alcohol).
5. Ventilation and Air Quality: Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces. Open windows, use HEPA filters, choose outdoor activities when possible.
6. Stay Home When Sick: Isolate immediately if you have symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, loss of taste/smell). Test promptly.
7. Respiratory Etiquette: Cover coughs/sneezes with a tissue or elbow; dispose of tissue; wash hands.
8. Clean and Disinfect: Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces (doorknobs, phones, counters) with EPA-registered products.
9. Travel Smart: Check destination COVID-19 levels, entry requirements, healthcare access. Mask in transit hubs.
10. Limit Close Contact with Known Exposures: Follow current CDC quarantine/isolation guidance based on vaccination status and symptoms.
11. Monitor Symptoms: Be aware of evolving symptom profiles. Seek medical advice for concerning symptoms (difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, confusion, pale/blue lips).
12. Follow Local Public Health Guidance: Stay informed via health department updates; comply with current directives.

These layered precautions reduce transmission and protect high-risk individuals. Personal responsibility supports collective pandemic resilience. As the virus evolves, guidance adapts—stay current with CDC and local health authority recommendations.