Washing your hands is the best way to help you stay healthy. Here’s how to do it.

1. Lather your hands by rubbing them together. Get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
2. Scrub your hands for 20 seconds. Sing “Happy Birthday” twice while washing to gauge your timing.
3. Rinse your hands under clean, running water. Air dry or use a clean towel.
4. No soap or water? Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Apply the gel to the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together over all of your hands’ surfaces and fingers until your hands are dry.
5. Moisturize your hands to prevent yourself from getting cracked skin.
6. In addition to washing your hands regularly, it’s also a good idea to avoid touching your face and eyes.

The virus spreads from person to person. Physical distancing means putting space between yourself and people outside your home to prevent the transmission of the disease.

1. Stay at least 6 feet away from people when outside your house. This includes friends or loved ones. Same goes for other people’s pets.
2. Do not invite guests to your home.
3. Avoid groups and crowds.
4. In places where physical distancing might be difficult, like the grocery store or pharmacy, do your best to stay 6 feet away from others. Wear a cloth face covering.
5. Physical distancing does not mean you shouldn’t talk to others. Make sure you stay connected with your friends, family, and neighbors. Call, video chat, or stay connected using social media.

If you think you might have been exposed to COVID‑19, quarantine yourself. The purpose of this practice is to separate yourself from others and restrict your movement while waiting to see if you become sick.

1. Monitor your symptoms. Contact your doctor immediately if symptoms develop.
2. Try to minimize contact with others, including household members and pets. Be particularly mindful of staying away from those who are high risk for getting very sick from COVID‑19.
3. Wash your hands frequently.
4. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Discard the tissue and immediately wash your hands.
5. Avoid sharing personal items such as dishes, towels, and bedding with other people in your house.
6. Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces often, like doorknobs and countertops.
7. Have a household member or friend run errands for you like picking up groceries or prescriptions, or get items delivered. If you do have to go out, practice physical distancing.

If you are sick with COVID‑19 or have symptoms, isolate yourself. The purpose of isolation is to prevent spreading the infection to others by keeping sick people separated from healthy people.

Stay home and monitor your symptoms. If they get significantly worse, contact your doctor immediately. You can leave your house to receive medical care.

1. Do not leave the house to run errands yourself. Have a household member or friend run errands for you like picking up groceries or prescriptions.
2. Do your best to stay away from your other household members, including pets.
3. Ideally, designate a room and bathroom for your use only.
4. Wash your hands frequently, especially if living with others in your home.
5. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Discard the tissue and immediately wash your hands.
6. Avoid sharing personal items such as dishes, towels, and bedding with other people in your house.
7. Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces often, like doorknobs and countertops.
8. Wash laundry frequently and separately from other household members’ laundry.

• Wear a cloth mask over your face and nose if you have to be around other people, including those in your home. If you don’t have a mask, improvise. Create a mask from a tightly-woven cotton garment like sheets or a bandana; T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. If you can’t wear a mask because of difficulty breathing, make sure caregivers wear one around you.

Keep track of your symptoms if you suspect you have COVID‑19, have been around someone who has tested positive for it, or you’ve been diagnosed.

1. Have your medical provider’s contact information on hand.
2. Keep a log of your symptoms, including your temperature.
3. If your symptoms worsen, call your doctor to update them and they will tell you what to do next.
4. You can use our Screening Tool to help you determine next steps based on your symptoms and risk factors.

Commonly used surfaces should be regularly cleaned and disinfected.

1. First, clean dirty surfaces with soap and water. Cleaning will remove dirt and lower the number of germs—but it will not kill germs.
2. Next, disinfect surfaces to kill germs. Disinfecting after cleaning can further lower the risk of spreading an infection. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Or dilute your household bleach with 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water.
3. Wear dedicated gloves for COVID‑19 related cleaning and disinfecting or use disposable gloves and discard them after each use.

Using a cloth mask can protect yourself and others from germs and help slow the spread.

Buy a cloth face mask. If you can’t find one, improvise. Create a mask from a tightly‑woven cotton garment, like sheets or a bandana; T‑shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Ensure your mask has multiple layers of fabric. Tap the button below to view the CDC’s full instructions.

1. Wear your mask over your mouth and nose. Make sure it fits snugly but comfortably against the side of your face. It should have ear loops or tie in the back.
2. Wear your mask in public, especially in places where it’s hard to practice physical distancing, like grocery stores or pharmacies.
3. When you remove the mask, take it off carefully without touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Wash your hands immediately.
4. To sanitize your mask, routinely wash it in the washing machine in hot water.
5. Don’t use a cloth mask on children under the age of 2, on anyone who has trouble breathing, or on someone who can’t voluntarily take the mask off.
6. Don’t use surgical or N95 masks. Healthcare workers and other medical first responders need these masks for protection.
7. If you are an essential worker who has been directly exposed to COVID‑19 or has had direct contact with someone known to have COVID‑19, wear a face mask at work for 14 days after exposure.