COVID-19
State of Illinois
Illinois Department of Public Health
COVID-19
HOUSEHOLD CHECKLIST
The Illinois Department of Public Health offers these guidelines to prepare your household for an outbreak of any infectious disease. Please stay calm and prepare, seek out accurate information, and be kind, staying mindful of actions that could perpetuate any discrimination or stigma associated with COVID‐19 or other infectious diseases.
For additional information, please visit dph.illinois.gov
PREVENTION
- Use personal prevention protection methods at all times, whether at home, work, school, community events, or elsewhere:
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; dry hands with a clean towel or air dry hands.
- Use alcohol‐based hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable.
- Cover your mouth with a tissue or sleeve when sneezing or coughing.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Keep soap, hand sanitizer, and tissues on hand. Make them easily accessible at home and carry with you when possible.
- Keep household cleaning spray or wipes readily available. Always use according to label instructions.
- Clean “high‐touch” surfaces daily. These include counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables. Also clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.
- Don’t share personal items such as water bottles.
- Keep informed of recommendations of public health officials at www.cdc.gov, dph.illinois.gov, and your local health department web site.
Note: The use of face masks by people who are not sick is not recommended to protect against respiratory diseases. Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent spread of the disease and by health care workers and others taking care of someone in a close setting.