Caring for Someone Sick at Home.
If you are taking care of someone at home
who has COVID-19,
help them manage their symptoms
and take steps to protect yourself and others.
People can have a wide range of symptoms from COVID-19.
Some people do not feel very sick at all.
Other people become very sick and need emergency help.
Most people with mild symptoms can recover at home
and do not need medical care.
Older adults
and people who have serious health or medical conditions,
like heart or lung disease or diabetes,
are at higher risk of becoming very ill from COVID-19.
People at higher risk of serious illness
should call their doctor as soon as symptoms start.
When caring for someone who is sick,
whether their symptoms are mild or serious,
or even if they do not experience symptoms,
you should practice everyday preventive actions
to keep from getting sick.
Wear a mask, masks help prevent you
from getting or spreading the virus;
try to stay at least six feet away
from the person who is sick; wash your hands often;
avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
and frequently clean and disinfect surfaces.
Watch for warning signs of serious illness.
Please call the doctor or medical provider
if the person feeling sick gets worse
or has other serious symptoms you are concerned about.
Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19.
If someone is showing any of these signs,
seek emergency medical care immediately--trouble breathing,
ongoing pain or pressure in the chest,
feeling confused or having difficulty thinking clearly,
unable to wake up or stay awake, lips or face look blue.
This list does not include all possible symptoms.
For medical emergencies, call 911 or call ahead
to your local emergency facility and tell the dispatcher
that the person has or might have COVID-19.
Caregivers should provide support and help
with the basic daily needs of the person being cared for.
Help the person who is sick follow
their doctor's instructions for care and medicine.
For most people, symptoms last a few days,
and people typically feel better after a week.
See if over-the-counter medicines for fever
help them feel better.
Make sure the person who is sick drinks a lot of fluids
and gets plenty of rest.
Help them with grocery shopping, filling prescriptions,
and getting other items they may need.
Consider having the items delivered through
a delivery service, if possible.
Take care of their pets and, when possible,
limit contact between the person who is sick and their pets.
The person who is sick should isolate as much as possible.
They should stay in a specific room
and away from other people and pets in the home,
when possible.
They should use a separate bathroom, if available.
They should eat or be fed in their separate room,
if possible.
They should not share dishes, cups, silverware,
towels, bedding, or electronics—
for example, a cell phone— with others in the home.
If you have a shared space,
make sure the room has good air flow.
Open the window to increase air circulation.
Better ventilation helps remove germ droplets from the air.
Do not have visitors,
especially people who are at higher risk for serious illness.
Caregivers and the person who is sick should wear a mask
or gloves at certain times to protect themselves and others.
The person who is sick should wear a mask
when they are around other people at home
and out in public, including at a doctor's office.
The mask helps prevent a person
who is sick from spreading the virus to others.
It keeps droplets from the breath of the person
who has the virus contained and from reaching other people.
The caregiver should wear a mask
when in the same room with the person who is sick.
Masks should not be placed on children younger than age two
or anyone who has trouble breathing
or is not able to remove their mask without help.
Always wash your hands after removing your mask.
Wear gloves when you touch or have contact
with the sick person's blood, stool, or body fluids,
such as saliva, mucus, vomit, and urine;
when cleaning, disinfecting, and disposing of items
used by the person who is sick,
for example, when handling laundry,
cleaning shared surfaces like doorknobs and countertops,
and washing dishes;
and when removing garbage bags and handling
and disposing of trash.
Throw used gloves away in a lined trash can.
Always wash your hands after removing gloves.
Washing hands often is an important practice
for anyone caring for someone who is sick.
Wash your hands often with soap and water
for at least 20 seconds.
Tell everyone in the home to do the same,
especially after being near the person who is sick.
If soap and water are not readily available,
use a hand sanitizer that contains
at least 60 percent 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.
Take precautions when cleaning, disinfecting,
and disposing of items used by the person who is sick.
Throw disposable gloves and other contaminated items
into a lined trash can after cleaning and disinfecting.
Clean all surfaces that are touched often,
such as counters, tabletops, and doorknobs.
Use household cleaning sprays or wipes
according to the label instructions.
It is okay to wash dirty laundry
from a person who is sick with other people's items.
Do not shake dirty laundry.
Dry laundry completely, on hot if possible.
Clean and disinfect clothes hampers.
Wash your hands after handling any items
used by the person who is sick and after disposing of trash.
Take precautions when cleaning the bedroom and bathroom
used by the person who is sick.
If they are using a separate bedroom and bathroom,
clean the area only when needed.
If they feel well enough, have them clean their own space.
They should clean and then disinfect the bathroom
after each use, if able.
If this is not possible, caregivers should wear a mask
and wait as long as possible
after the sick person has used the bathroom
before the caregiver cleans and uses the bathroom.
It's very important that both the individual who is sick
and the caregiver wash their hands often.
Caregivers and anyone who has been in close contact
with someone who has COVID-19 should quarantine—
staying home and away from others.
If you have been in close contact
with someone who has COVID-19
but you do not have symptoms and/or have not tested positive,
it is recommended that you quarantine yourself.
Quarantine means staying away from others
for a specified period of time.
The goal of quarantine
is to help stop the spread of the virus.
Currently the CDC recommends a quarantine period of 14 days.
Local public health authorities make the final decisions
about how long quarantine should last,
based on local conditions and needs.
Shorter quarantine options they may consider include
after day 10 with no testing OR after day
seven with a negative test result;
the test must occur on day five or later.
Again, your local public health officials
make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last,
based on local COVID-19 spread and local needs.
Please consult with your doctor
and local health department website.
Check your temperature twice a day
and watch for symptoms of COVID-19.
If you begin to have symptoms of COVID-19,
like fever, cough or shortness of breath,
call your healthcare provider
and tell them that you have been in close contact
with someone who has COVID-19.
If possible, stay away from people
who are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.
Use delivery or pickup services for groceries
and other essential needs, if possible.
Caregivers should monitor their own health
and the health of other household members
for COVID-19 symptoms
while caring for the person who is sick,
including taking their temperature daily
and watching for any signs or symptoms of illness.
If you are having trouble breathing, call 911.
Call your doctor or emergency room
and tell them your symptoms before going in.
They will tell you what to do.
Caregivers, when possible,
should not be a person who is at high risk
for serious illness from COVID-19,
such as a person older than age 65
or someone with a chronic or underlying medical condition.
Remember to follow the three prevention steps to protect you,
your family, and your community from COVID-19—
wash your hands,
keep a distance of at least six feet from other people,
and wear a mask.
For more ASL videos,
including information on Symptoms of Coronavirus,
Washing Your Hands,
and Wearing a Mask to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19,
go to the CDC YouTube channel.
For additional information in English text,
please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus.