COVID-19: Caring for Yourself and Others

If you have symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID-19

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or you test positive (even without symptoms):

• Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both of these are true:

  • Your symptoms are getting better overall, and

  • You have not had a fever and are not using medicine to reduce a fever.

• When you go back to your normal activities, take extra precautions for the next 5 days:

  • Improve airflow at home. For example, open your windows. Change the filters in your air conditioning unit. Turn your thermostat to "on" instead of "auto" to improve filtration and keep the air moving.

  • Don't share personal items, such as eating or drinking utensils, linens, or food.

  • Follow guidelines from the CDC and your local community about when to wear a mask.

  • If you get a fever or you start to feel worse again, stay home and away from others and repeat the process. Stay home until, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are getting better and you haven't had a fever and you aren't using fever-reducing medicines. Take extra precautions for another 5 days.

• If you need to cough or sneeze, do it into a tissue. Then throw the tissue into the trash. If you don't have tissues, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow.

• Wash your hands often.

Self-care at home 

Protection

You can protect yourself and others from getting COVID-19 or from getting very sick if you get it by following these guidelines:

• Get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are available for everyone ages 6 months and older, including people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor about which COVID-19 vaccine is best for you and your family. No vaccine is ever 100% effective in preventing any illness, but the COVID-19 vaccines work well and are safe.

• Practice good handwashing.

• Stay home if you think you might have COVID-19 or test positive for it.

• Keep your distance from anyone who is sick or has tested positive for COVID-19 when possible.

• Get tested if needed.

• Wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask as advised.

• Improve airflow indoors and move indoor activities outside.

Treatment

Most people with COVID-19 recover with supportive care. This includes:

• Getting rest. This helps your body fight the illness.

• Staying hydrated. Drinking liquids is the best way to prevent dehydration. Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of liquids every day, or as advised by your doctor. Also check with your doctor about which fluids are best for you. Don't drink fluids that contain caffeine or alcohol.

• Taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine. These are used to help ease pain and reduce fever. Follow your doctor's instructions for which OTC medicine to use.

If you've been treated for suspected or confirmed COVID-19, follow all of your care team's instructions. If you were treated at a hospital and discharged, you may be sent home with a pulse oximeter. This is a small electronic device that you clip on your fingertip. It measures the amount of oxygen in your body. Follow your care team's instructions for its use and for when to contact them.

Home care for a sick person 

• Follow all instructions from the health care staff.

• Wash your hands often.

• Make sure the sick person wears a mask. If they can't wear a mask, limit your time in the same room with them and wear a mask around them.

• Keep track of the sick person’s symptoms.

• Check yourself for symptoms and take a COVID-19 test as advised by the CDC. Take a test even if you feel fine.

• Clean home surfaces often with a disinfectant. This includes phones, kitchen counters, fridge door handle, bathroom surfaces, and others.

• Don’t let anyone share household items with the sick person. This includes eating and drinking tools, towels, sheets, or blankets.

• Clean fabrics and laundry thoroughly.

• Wear a high-quality mask around others as advised.

When to contact your doctor

If you have COVID-19 and are more likely to get very sick, contact your doctor or seek care right away. Treatments are available to reduce your risk of getting very sick or being hospitalized. Don't delay contacting your doctor or seeking care. Treatment must be started within 5 to 7 days after you first develop symptoms.

Contact your doctor right away if a sick person has any of these:

• Trouble breathing

• Pain or pressure in their chest

If a sick person has any of these, call 911:

• Trouble breathing that gets worse

• Chest pain or pressure that gets worse

• Blue tint to their lips or face

• Fast or irregular heartbeat

• Confusion or trouble waking

• Fainting or loss of consciousness

• Coughing up blood

Date last modified:6/27/2025