When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention 

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone 

is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical

care immediately:

• Trouble breathing

• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

• New confusion

• Bluish lips or face

• Inability to wake or stay awake

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical 

provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning 

to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: 

Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who 

has or may have COVID-19.

CS 316120-A 06/11/2020

cdc.gov/coronavirus

Prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick

Accessible version: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, 

follow the steps below to care for yourself and to help protect 

other people in your home and community.

Stay home except to get medical care. 

• Stay home. Most people with COVID-19 have 

mild illness and are able to recover at home 

without medical care. Do not leave your home, 

except to get medical care. Do not visit

public areas.

• Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take overthe-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you 

feel better.

• Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical 

care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have 

any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is

an emergency.

• Avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.

Separate yourself from other people and pets 

in your home. 

• As much as possible, stay in a specific 

room and away from other people and pets 

in your home. Also, you should use a separate 

bathroom, if available. If you need to be around other

people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a

cloth face covering.

ɞ See COVID-19 and Animals if you have questions about 

pets: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.

html#COVID19animals

ɞ Additional guidance is available for those living in close 

quarters. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-hj ncov/

daily-life-coping/living-in-close-quarters.html) and shared 

housing (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

daily-life-coping/shared-housing/index.html).

Monitor your symptoms.

• Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, 

cough, and shortness of breath but 

other symptoms may be present as well.

• Follow care instructions from your 

healthcare provider and local health department. Your local 

health authorities will give instructions on checking your

symptoms and reporting information.

Call ahead before visiting your doctor. 

• Call ahead. Many medical visits for routine 

care are being postponed or done by phone 

or telemedicine.

• If you have a medical appointment that 

cannot be postponed, call your doctor’s 

office, and tell them you have or may have COVID-19.

If you are sick, wear a cloth covering over 

your nose and mouth.

• You should wear a cloth face covering 

over your nose and mouth if you must be 

around other people or animals, including pets 

(even at home).

• You don’t need to wear the cloth face covering if you are alone. 

If you can’t put on a cloth face covering (because of trouble 

breathing for example), cover your coughs and sneezes in some 

other way. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. 

This will help protect the people around you.

• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under 

age 2 years, anyone who has trouble breathing, or anyone who is 

not able to remove the covering without help.

Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical grade facemasks are 

reserved for healthcare workers and some first responders. You may 

need to make a cloth face covering using a scarf or bandana.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue 

when you cough or sneeze.

• Throw used tissues in a lined trash can.

• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 

20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands 

with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least

60% alcohol.

Clean your hands often.

• Wash your hands often with soap and 

water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially 

important after blowing your nose, coughing, 

or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before 

eating or preparing food.

• Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Use an 

alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering

all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they 

feel dry.

• Soap and water are the best option, especially if your hands

are visibly dirty.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with

unwashed hands.

Avoid sharing personal household items.

• Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, 

eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other 

people in your home.

• Wash these items thoroughly after using 

them with soap and water or put them in the dishwasher.

Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday.

• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in your 

“sick room” and bathroom. Let someone else 

clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, 

but not your bedroom and bathroom.

• If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and

disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they

should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other

person should wear a cloth face covering and wait as long

as possible after the sick person has used the bathroom.

High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, 

tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards,

tablets, and bedside tables.

• Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body 

fluids on them.

• Use household cleaners and disinfectants. Clean the area or 

item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then 

use a household disinfectant.

ɞ Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe 

and effective use of the product. Many products recommend 

keeping the surface wet for several minutes to ensure germs 

are killed. Many also recommend precautions such as wearing 

gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use 

of the product.

ɞ Most EPA-registered household disinfectants should

be effective.

When you can be around others after you had

or likely had COVID-19

When you can be around others (end home 

isolation) depends on different factors for

different situations.

• I think or know I had COVID-19, and I had symptoms

ɞ You can be with others after

§ 3 days with no fever 

AND

§ symptoms improved 

AND

§ 10 days since symptoms first appeared

ɞ Depending on your healthcare provider’s advice and 

availability of testing, you might get tested to see if you still 

have COVID-19. If you will be tested, you can be around others 

when you have no fever, symptoms have improved, and you 

receive two negative test results in a row, at least

24 hours apart.

• I tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms

ɞ If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with

others after:

§ 10 days have passed since test

ɞ Depending on your healthcare provider’s advice and 

availability of testing, you might get tested to see if you still 

have COVID-19. If you will be tested, you can be around others 

after you receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 

hours apart.

ɞ If you develop symptoms after testing positive, follow the 

guidance above for “I think or know I had COVID, and I

had symptoms.”

cdc.gov/coronavirus