How to Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19

Protecting Yourself and Others

• Get Vaccinated: All COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are highly effective at preventing COVID-19, and even more effective at preventing severe/critical disease and death. 
  • All people over the age of 12 are now eligable to recieve a COVID-19 vaccine 
  • For more information or to find a vaccine, visit the COVID-19 Vaccination Information tab, the State of Connecticut COVID-19 Vaccine Portal, or the CDC COVID-19 Vaccine page
    
• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth in shared spaces, in public, and when having contact with people from outside of your household
  • Children under 2 years of age should not wear masks
  • If you are not vaccinated, masking is still required in indoor public spaces
  • If you are fully vaccinated, CDC recommends masking in indoor, public spaces where transmission is "High" or "substantial." You may choose to not wear a mask outdoors or in public spaces where transmission is "moderate" or "low," if you are comfortable 
    • See CDC Website to check transmission levels in your area: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view 
  • For more information, see the COVID-19 Vaccination Information tab or the CDC Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated Individuals
• Physically Distance: Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside of your household, even when wearing a mask
• Practice good hand hygiene: Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol content: 
  • Before and after handling your mask or touching your face
  • Before eating or preparing food
  • After using the bathroom
  • After touching shared surfaces
  • After blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing
  • After changing a diaper
  • After handling animals or animal products
• Disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly
• Cover your coughs and sneezes by coughing/sneezing into your elbow or your mask, Do NOT remove a mask to cough or sneeze
• Self-quarantine and get tested if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated
  • Symptoms of COVID-19Include, but are not limited to: 
    • Fever and/or Chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches
    • Headache
    • New loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea

  • Seek Immediate Medical Care if You are Experiencing any Of the Following Symptoms: 

    • Trouble breathing
    • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
    • New confusion
    • Inability to wake or stay awake
    • Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
    • Any other severe or potentially life-threating symptoms
  • See What to Do If You Are Sick or Exposed for more information
• Follow Self quarantine guidelines if you are exposed to someone with probable or confirmed COVID-19
  •  Contacts  prior to symptom onset or a positive test may result in transmission. If you interacted with someone in the days before they test positive or show symptoms of COVID-19, please follow guidelines 
  • See What to Do If You Are Sick or Exposed for more information
  • If you are fully vaccinated you do not need to quarantine or get tested, unless you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

CDC Information

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html#:~:text=%E2%80%A2%20Inside%20your%20home%3A,live%20in%20your%20household.