You washed your hands. Now what?

By now you’ve heard healthcare experts say that washing your hands is the front line of defense against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This remains true – 20 seconds with soap! But what else can you do?

To prevent the spread of the virus:

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, smart phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.
• Avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Practice social distancing. Avoid large crowds as much as possible, especially if you are at a higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 (if you are 60 years old or older and/or have diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure or other chronic major medical conditions).

To cope with stress you may be feeling during this time:

• Talk to people you trust. Contact your friends and family.
• If you must stay at home, maintain a healthy lifestyle – including proper diet, sleep and exercise.
• Make a plan for if you do get sick. It can help to feel prepared – the CDC has helpful guidance for this.
• Limit worry and agitation by lessening the time you and your family spend watching or listening to media coverage that you perceive as upsetting.
• Get the facts. Gather information that will help you accurately determine your risk so that you can take reasonable precautions. These are credible sources you can trust:
  • UK HealthCare questions and answers about COVID-19.
  • Information and updates for the state of Kentucky.
  • Country-wide information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).