Your family's guide to being smart, safe, healthy, and prepared for any Rhode Island or national emergency including covid, flu, fire, hurricane, and more!
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.
CLICK HERE for symptoms of COVID-19 and other respiratory illness
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 WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK
~Stay home if YOU are sick.
COVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE WITH A CLOTH FACE COVER
WHEN YOU ARE AROUND OTHERS - IF YOU ARE SICK!
You could spread respiratory illnesses to others even if you do not feel sick.
If you are sick and MUST go out in public, wear a mask.
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.
~Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others.
~The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
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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.
401HEALTH APP
401Health is Rhode Island’s public health mobile application. The application currently provides Rhode Islanders with an easy way to check COVID-19 symptoms, find COVID-19 vaccine records, and learn about COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination. (If you use the CRUSH COVID RI app, please update your app to begin using 401Health.)
VACCINATIONS!
Immunizations help prepare your body to defend itself from viruses and severe illness. Some immunizations teach your immune system what the virus looks like so it can prepare to protect against it. Other immunizations directly provide you with antibodies to protect you from the virus. Getting vaccinated can reduce your chances of getting infected to some degree, but its main strength is preventing severe illness and death. More and more evidence suggests that the COVID-19 vaccine can also lower your chances of developing Long COVID.
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
How Your Child's Immune System Updates After Vaccination
Watch the video from The American Academy of Pediatrics