Protecting others if you have COVID-19

To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus to others, stay home and apart from anyone you live with for as long as you have worsening symptoms. You can wear a face mask if you must be around other people.

You also can take other actions that lower the chance of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19:

• Wash your hands well and often using soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces you touch often.
• Do not share towels, cups or other items if possible.
• Use a separate bathroom and bedroom if possible.
• Get more airflow in your home.

Once you're feeling better and haven't had a fever for a full 24 hours without taking medicine for fever, you can go back to being around others. If your fever comes back or you start to feel worse, return to isolation until your symptoms improve and you are fever-free without fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours. But listen to the advice of your healthcare professional.

In the five days after isolation, to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, you can wear a mask and keep up with the actions that prevent the coronavirus from spreading. These actions are helpful even if you never had symptoms but tested positive for COVID-19.