Prevention and Treatment

Protect Yourself and Others

A few simple steps can greatly reduce your chances of being exposed and exposing others to COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2. Everyone should:

• Practice good hygiene: cover coughs and sneezes, don't touch your face, and wash hands often
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home
• Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others not in your household
• Use cloth face coverings when in public
• Clean and disinfect frequently used items and touched surfaces often

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to it. Learn more on How to Protect Yourself and Others from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Trick or Treating and Other Halloween Activities

October is the month when public health traditionally offers Alabamians guidance for safe trick-or-treating and other seasonal festivities. This year, important recommendations center on those intended to protect families, friends, and communities from contracting COVID-19 and by not spreading the virus to others.

Read State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris October Message: Keep Health and Safety Foremost for Fall Festivities 2020

Download our Halloween Safety Flyer for steps you can take to protect your family, friends, and community.

Visit the CDC for more Halloween Safety Guidance.

Prevention Resources

Social Distancing

• Keeping Your Distance to Slow the Spread (CDC)
• Social Distancing: Red, Yellow and Green Flyer
• Tips for Coping with Social Distancing and Quarantine from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Video: How COVID-19 Can Spread in a Community (CDC)

Hand Hygiene

• Wash Your Hands Poster
• Wash Your Hands Poster: English | French | Spanish
• Video: What You Need to Know About Handwashing (CDC)
• Video: Stop the Spread of Germs (CDC)

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Cleaning and Disinfecting in Public Places
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility (CDC)
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home (CDC)
• Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-COV-2 (EPA)

Gloves and Face Coverings

• DIY Cloth Face Covering Instructions
• How to Properly Remove Gloves
• Important Information About Your Cloth Face Coverings (Flyer) (CDC)
• Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19 (CDC)
• Wearing a Face Covering in the Summer (Flyer)

General Prevention Tips

• What You Should Know About COVID-19 to Protect Yourself and Others English | Spanish
• Smart Shopping Flyer: English | Spanish

Risk and Benefits of Everyday Activities

Things to consider before taking part in social activities:

Inside or Out?
Outdoor activities pose less risk than the same activities indoors.

How Many?
The smaller the group size and the larger the space, the lower the risk.

Is It Worth It?
If something doesn't add value but does add risk, reconsider.

Extra Risk?
People with extra risks of serious illness from COVID-19 should aim to limit social interactions as much as they can.

Treatment

There are no specific outpatient treatments for COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 at this time. There is ongoing medical research regarding treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and some inpatient treatments for severely ill patients have been helpful. Although most people will recover on their own, you can do some things to help relieve your symptoms, including:

• Take medications to relieve pain and fever
• Continue your regular medicines prescribed by your doctor unless instructed otherwise
• Use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough
• If you are mildly sick, drink plenty of fluids, stay home, and get plenty of rest

Page last updated: October 16, 2020