Your family's guide to being healthy and strong during the Coronavirus Pandemic as well as being fully educated and prepared for this and other potential Rhode Island and national emergencies.
STAYING SAFE AND PREVENTING COVID-19 EXPOSURE
AND VACCINATIONS (https://covid.ri.gov/vaccination!)
MONITOR YOUR HEALTH
Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19. (Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.)
Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
(Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
If symptoms develop follow RI State or CDC Guidelines (See Testing)
Also see TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF for Tips and Ideas to Maintain Good Health!
Wear a face mask for me: I'll wear a face mask for you, and together, we'll beat this!
If you are sick, STAY HOME!
Contact your care provider for specific care instructions.
NOTE: Your employer MUST give you two weeks (10 days) of PAID sick time/yr. - BY LAW!
CLICK HERE for symptoms of COVID-19
CLICK HERE for how to get tested
WASH HANDS OFTEN
~Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your
nose, coughing, or sneezing (into elbow).
~If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least
60% alcohol.
~Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
AVOID CLOSE CONTACT
~Put distance between yourself and other people outside of your home.
(Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus.)
~Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
~Do not gather in groups.
~Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings.
~Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting
very sick.
~Stay home if you are sick.
COVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE WITH A CLOTH FACE COVER WHEN YOU ARE AROUND OTHERS
You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.
NOTE: Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
~The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
~Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker.
~Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others.
~The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
‘
COVER COUGHS AND SNEEZES
~If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
~Throw used tissues in the trash.
~Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
CLEAN & DISINFECT
~Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones,
keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
~If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectant will work (these are not meant to clean hands
or other body parts.)
HOW TO PUT ON AND TAKE OFF YOUR FACE MASK
Wash hands before putting on a face mask.
Do not touch your mask while you are wearing it.
Wash hands before taking off your face mask.
Cotton face masks should be washed after each use
with warm soapy water and hung to dry. Keep a
spare mask so you can switch.
In order to prevent exposure to the Coronavirus as well as help prevent our most vulnerable populations from getting infected, we need to come together as a state and respond in a unified and caring effort. Below are the actions that we all need to respect and follow in order to keep each other safe.
YOU CAN SPREAD COVID-19 EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL SICK.
PLEASE WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC!
CLICK HERE
for more info. on mask wearing.
HOW DO I CARE FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS
COVID-!9 AND AVOID GETTING SICK?
Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home. Isolate the sick person and try to minimize any contact - at least 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members. Wash your hands often and have sick person do the same. If possible, use separate bathrooms, towels, etc. Follow cleaning protocols.
CLICK HERE for guidelines from the CDC if you get sick and/or if you are caring for someone who is sick.
ReOpeningRI.com - the latest guidelines from the RIDOH for safely reopening. Determine the risk level of various activities and what you can do to reduce the risk - CLICK HERE!
CONTACT TRACING & CRUSH COVID APP
Contact tracing involves identifying people who have COVID-19 and their contacts (people who may have been exposed) and working with them to interrupt disease transmission. For COVID-19, this includes asking positive COVID-19 people to isolate and their contacts to quarantine at home voluntarily. Easy ways for Rhode Islanders to keep track of where they've been and who they've come in contact with is through a journal or the daily diary on the CRUSH-COVID App. For more information, or to download the app, CLICK HERE!
Contact Tracing Guidance from the CDC - CLICK HERE!
Contact Tracing Guidance from the RIDOH - CLICK HERE!
VACCINATIONS!
Make sure that you're signed up for the Rhode Island Department of Health's weekly vaccine distribution updates as well as the Vaccine Notification Interest List on portal.ri.gov to stay up-to-date on when you're eligible for vaccination.
For The Latest Information on VACCINATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND from the RIDOH, Click HERE!
For The Latest Information on VACCINATIONS IN THE US from the CDC, Click HERE!
SAFETY of COVID-19 Vaccines from the CDC, Click HERE!
Homebound?? If you are unable to leave home to receive COVID-19 vaccination or are the healthcare provider or family caregiver of someone who is homebound, please inform RIDOH through the following form: http://bit.ly/homeboundvax
After You've Been Vaccinated
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, highly effective against serious illness, and reduces the risk of infecting others. Get vaccinated when it’s available to you.
If you’re fully vaccinated, continue to wear your mask and watch your distance in public around anyone you don’t live with. If you’ve had close contact with someone with COVID-19 or you’ve recently arrived in Rhode Island from outside the 50 states or DC or a hot spot within the 50 states or DC, you may not have to quarantine. Learn more at covid.ri.gov/whattodo
Learn what else changes once you’re fully vaccinated.