How to Protect Yourself and Others

CDC recommends that all people use core prevention strategies to protect themselves and others from COVID-19:

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Although vaccinated people sometimes get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines significantly lowers the risk of getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19.

  When you are sick:

  • Use precautions to prevent spread, including staying home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory symptoms.
    • Learn when you can go back to your normal activities.

    Order your free COVID-19 tests at the end of September.‎

    U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.

    Additional Prevention Strategies

    In addition, there are other prevention strategies that you can choose to further protect yourself and others.

    • Wearing a mask and putting distance between yourself and others can help lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
    • Testing for COVID-19 can help you decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading COVID-19 to others.

    What to watch out for

    Using these prevention strategies can be especially helpful when:

    • Respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV, are causing a lot of illness in your community
    • You or those around you have risk factors for severe illness
    • You or those around you were recently exposed to a respiratory virus, are sick, or are recovering