How to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus COVID-19 (Tutorial with Images)
How to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus COVID-19
Method1Protecting Yourself Against COVID-19
- 1Stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing. Since COVID-19 is a respiratory infection, coughing and sneezing are common symptoms. Additionally, coughing and sneezing both release the virus into the air, so they may increase your risk of infection. Keep your distance from people who appear to have symptoms of an upper respiratory infection.
- If it’s appropriate, ask the person to stay away from you. You could say, “I noticed you were coughing. I hope you feel better soon, but please keep your distance from me so I don’t get sick.”
- If you know someone that has been around sick people, it’s a good idea to distance yourself from them, too. You never know if that person got sick.
- The World Health Organization recommends not just rubbing your hands palm to palm, but interlacing and interlocking your fingers in a variety of different ways to make sure every surface is clean. Use the paper towel you dry your hands off with to turn off the faucet.
- Always wash your hands before you eat or drink anything. However, it’s also best to wash your hands anytime you’re out in public or after you’re around someone you suspect may be sick.
- If you can't wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer that contains 60-95% alcohol. Alcohol percentages higher than 95% are actually less effective.
- If you need to touch your face, wash your hands first so you’re less likely to infect yourself.
- You might say, “I’m happy to meet you! Normally I’d shake your hand, but the CDC recommends limiting personal contact right now to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.”
International Humanitarian Organization
Our Expert Agrees: To protect yourself, limit your contact with others just in case. Kindly decline to shake hands or come in close contact until the coronavirus threat is over.
- In your home, disinfect your front door knob, kitchen counters, bathroom counters, and faucets.
- At work, clean surfaces that people tend to touch, such as doorknobs, stair railings, tables, and surface counters.
- You can also make disinfectant by mixing 1 cup (240 ml) of bleach with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of warm water.
- While this new strain of coronavirus was first thought to have originated in China, it is not connected to Asian people. Don’t treat someone differently or distance yourself from someone because they are Asian. Treat everyone with kindness and remember that anyone can get infected no matter what their race or ethnicity is.
- According to WHO, you cannot get COVID-19 from mail or products.
- WHO also denies that there are specific foods that prevent COVID-19.
Method2Flattening the Curve
- 1Stay home as much as possible to distance yourself from other people. You’ve probably heard about “social distancing” or "physical distancing" which can help limit the spread of the virus. To practice social distancing, only leave your home for necessities, like restocking groceries or going to work. If you can, work or do your schoolwork at home, as well. Don’t go out to eat, hang out in bars, or participate in recreational activities, like going to the movies.
- By social distancing, you reduce the likelihood you’ll come into contact with the virus. If everyone does this, the virus won’t spread as easily.
- If you’re in a high-risk group for complications, it’s very important to stay in your home as often as possible. You’re considered high-risk if you’re 65 or older, have a compromised immune system, or have a health condition like heart disease or asthma.
- The CDC currently recommends that residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut avoid all non-essential travel. This does not apply to critical workers such as healthcare professionals.
- 2Limit groups to 10 or fewer and practice social distancing if you socialize. You may decide to still see family or friends, but realize there is still a risk of transmitting the virus. Even people not in high-risk groups can still contract the virus and spread it to others or fall ill themselves. Different regions have different recommendations or laws about what size gatherings are allowed, so check with your local government or health authority to be sure. Following local guidelines can help limit the spread of the virus, especially if you allow each other personal space.
- This includes gatherings at your home or outdoors where others aren't around. Don't meet up with friends or family at a public place. It's best to have a meeting on an online platform instead.
- 3Maintain a distance of 6 ft (1.8 m) between you and others when you go out. You may need to leave your home to shop for groceries, get take-out, or exercise and get fresh air. You can take a walk or go for a run, but make sure you don’t get too close to other people - keeping your distance will protect you. In general, keep a 6 ft (1.8 m) circle of personal space around you.
- If someone is getting too close to you, move away and kindly remind them that the CDC recommends maintaining a 6 ft (1.8 m) gap. Say, “Hey, I’m not trying to be rude, but I’d like to maintain some space between us like the CDC recommends. I just want to make sure we both stay safe.”
- 4Wear a cloth mask or cover over your nose and mouth when in public. The CDC recommends even healthy people in the US wear cloth coverings when expecting to encounter others in public, like when you are going to the grocery store or using public transportation. Face coverings are NOT a replacement for social distancing!
- Do not use disposable facemasks meant for healthcare workers or sick people.
- Cloth face coverings are meant to help prevent transmission of the virus from carriers who have no symptoms.
- You may want to sew a simple cloth mask yourself.
- In other countries, consult with your local health authority on whether cloth masks or other protective equipment is recommended for your area.
- 5Watch for updates from trustworthy organizations. The World Health Organization, the CDC, and other authorities are constantly updating their pages with information about the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Paying close attention to these updates may help you take additional steps to protect yourself and the people around you.
- If you're able to, it's also great to donate to organizations that are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.
Method3Caring for a Sick Person
- 1Wear disposable protective gear while providing care if possible. Put on disposable gloves , a face mask, and a paper gown before you care for the sick person. When you leave their room, take off your protective gear and throw it in a plastic trash bag. Don’t reuse your protective clothing because you may accidentally come into contact with the virus.
- Coronavirus spreads through droplets and can linger on your clothing, so protect yourself as best you can.
- 2Don’t share household items with the infected person. Coronavirus can linger on commonly-used items like cups, plates, utensils, and towels. Use separate items for each member of the household while someone is sick. Otherwise, you might accidentally spread the infection.
- Play it safe! When in doubt, wash the item before you use it or get another one.
- 3Wash all laundry on hot to disinfect it. Clothing, bedding, and towels can all hold coronavirus, so it’s important to wash them thoroughly. Set your washing machine on the hottest setting and measure out the recommended amount of detergent for the load size. Then, wash your laundry on the normal or heavy-duty setting, depending on your model.
- If it’s safe for your fabrics, add a cap full of bleach or color-safe bleach to sanitize the laundry.
- 4Open a window to ventilate the room if weather permits. Since COVID-19 is transmitted when people are in close contact, you’re at a greater risk of infection while you’re sharing a space with a sick person. Ventilating the room may help clear out the air, which can minimize your risk of contracting the virus. Open a window or turn on an air conditioner if you can.
- Don’t open a window if it’s raining or the temperature is uncomfortably cold or hot.
Method4Avoiding Transmission from Animals
- 1Cook meat and eggs thoroughly to reduce the risk of infection. There isn't clear evidence about COVID-19 transmission from animals to humans. However, it makes sense to treat animal products with care. It’s important to cook animal products thoroughly to kill any germs.Follow the instructions for the type of meat or eggs you’re cooking, and check the internal temperature of your food using a food thermometer before you eat.Heat your foods to the following temperatures:
- Chicken and turkey should be 165 °F (74 °C).
- Cook beef or pork to 145 °F (63 °C).
- Heat ground meat to 160 °F (71 °C).
- Eggs need to reach 160 °F (71 °C).
- 2Limit your contact with live animals to lower the risk of transmission. Although it's not clear that animals are likely to spread COVID-19 to humans, you should not risk handling an animal that might be ill. Avoid handling live animals unless you work with animals or are caring for pets. If you must handle an animal other than your pet, touch it as little as possible.
- 3Wash your hands immediately after handling live animals if you must. You don’t want germs from the animals to linger on your skin. Wet your hands and apply a mild soap. Lather the soap on your hands for 30 seconds, then rinse it off with warm water. Dry your hands on a clean, dry towel.
- If you’re handling multiple animals, wash your hands between animals in case one animal is ill. This way you won’t accidentally infect the other animals.
Method5Dealing with a Possible Infection
- 1Call your doctor or the health department if you think you have COVID-19. If you have a fever, cough, and shortness of breath, stay at home and contact your doctor or the health department to ask about COVID-19 testing. Your doctor will ask if you’ve recently traveled, have been to an area with an outbreak, or may have come into contact with someone who might have COVID-19. If your doctor thinks you need to be tested for COVID-19, they’ll give you instructions on where to go. In the meantime, stay at home so you don’t risk infecting others.
- The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some patients are also reporting other respiratory symptoms, as well.
Tip: If you go into your doctor’s office, be sure to wear a facemask to prevent spreading the infection to those with weakened immune systems. Notify your provider about any new symptoms of fever or difficulty breathing.
- If you go to the doctor, wear a disposable face mask if you have one and a cloth mask or covering otherwise. This will help prevent germs from spreading, but you must continue to observe social distancing and wash your hands!
COVID-19 is characterized by a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms include congestion, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle or body aches, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Difficulty breathing or severe shortness of breath
- Persistent pain or pressure in your chest
- New confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
Warning: Talk to your doctor to find out if there are other symptoms that may be severe or concerning for you. This list doesn’t include all possible serious symptoms, just the most common ones.
- Try to keep a box of tissues near you at all times. However, it’s also okay to sneeze into your bent elbow if you don’t have a tissue.
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This page was last edited on 29 January 2021.
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