COVID-19 continues to spread globally, changing our social habits, work lives and communities. There are precautions everyone can take to help prepare for an outbreak in their community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises creating a household plan of action before an outbreak occurs in your area.

• Communicate. Talk with those who need to be included in your household plan. Discuss with household members as well as other relatives and friends what to do if a COVID-19 outbreak occurs in your community and what the needs of each person will be.
• Make a plan for those at greatest risk. It's possible that older adults and those with underlying medical conditions may be more at risk for serious complications from COVID-19. If you or someone in your household are at increased risk for COVID-19 complications, consult with your healthcare provider for more information about monitoring for coronavirus. CDC will recommend actions to help keep people at high risk for complications healthy if a COVID-19 outbreak occurs in your community.
• Talk to your neighbors. Create an emergency plan with your neighbors. Swap contact information in case of an emergency. Check to see if your neighborhood has a social media page and consider joining it to maintain access to neighbors, information and resources.
• Get familiar with aid organizations in your community. Create a list of local organizations that you and your household can contact in the event you need access to information, healthcare services, support and resources. You may want to consider including organizations that provide mental health or counseling services, food and other supplies.
• Update your emergency contact list. Ensure your household has a current list of emergency contacts for family, friends, neighbors, carpool drivers, health care providers, teachers, employers, the local public health department and other community resources. Leave this list in an easy-to-access location, and make sure everyone in the household knows where to find it.

The CDC suggests individuals practice good personal health habits and plan for more home-based actions.

• Practice everyday preventative actions to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Remind everyone in your household of the importance of preventive actions such as avoiding close contact with those who are ill, staying home when sick except to get medical care, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects daily, such as tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs and cabinet handles.
• Wash your hands. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Practice proper disinfection protocols. For disinfection, a list of products with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved emerging viral pathogens claims, maintained by the American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC), is available here. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products.
• Separate the sick from the well. Designate a room in your home that can be used to separate sick household members from those who are healthy. If you can, identify a separate bathroom for the ill to use. Plan to clean these rooms, as needed, when someone is sick. Learn how to care for someone with COVID-19 at home here.

Be prepared for closures. In an effort to lessen the spread of coronavirus, community disruption is likely. Daily operations at schools, daycares and the workplace will likely change.

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• Familiarize yourself with the emergency operations plan at your child’s school or childcare facility. Local public health officials may recommend temporary school dismissals to help slow the spread of illness. School authorities also may decide to dismiss a school if too many students or staff are absent. Ask the school or check the school's website to learn about the plan for continuing education and social services (such as student meal programs and online learning) during school dismissals. If your child attends a college or university, encourage them to learn about the school’s plan for a COVID-19 outbreak.
• Learn how your employer plans to respond to the outbreak. Ask about sick-leave policies and telework options for workers who are sick or who need to stay home to care for sick household members. Learn how businesses and employers can plan for and respond to COVID-19 here.

Should your community see an outbreak, put your household plan into action.

• Protect yourself and others. Stay home when from work, school and all activities if you experience symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, or if a member of your household is sick.
• Practice social distancing. Keep away from others who are sick, and limit close contact with others, whether sick or well, as much as possible. The recommended distance is about 6 feet.
• Stay in touch with others by phone or email. If you live alone and become sick during a COVID-19 outbreak, you may need help. If you have a chronic medical condition and live alone, ask family, friends and healthcare providers to check on you during an outbreak. Stay in touch with family and friends with chronic medical conditions.
• Keep your kids and teens home. While social distancing can be boring and isolating for children, please refrain from play dates and social activities. Discourage children and teens from gathering in other public places while school is dismissed to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
• Think about mental and emotional health. Outbreaks can be stressful for both adults and children. Children may respond differently to stressful situations than adults. Make sure to talk with your children about the outbreak. Try to stay calm and reassure them that they are safe. Encourage children to talk about the events and to ask questions. Take breaks from watching, reading and listening to news stories about the outbreak. Connect with family and friends virtually to check in.
• Keep in touch with work. Notify your employer as soon as possible if your schedule changes. If you or someone in your household gets sick with coronavirus symptoms, or if your child's school is dismissed temporarily, ask to work from home or take leave.
• Keep in touch with schools. Should your child become ill with COVID-19 symptoms, notify their childcare facility or school. Talk with teachers about classroom assignments and activities they can do from home to keep up with their schoolwork.
• Stay informed. Get up-to-date information about local COVID-19 activity from public health officials. Be aware of temporary school dismissals and closure of businesses in your area.

A COVID-19 outbreak could last a long time, with great impacts on individuals, households and communities. After a COVID-19 outbreak in your community ends, take time to evaluate your household plan. Talk about what worked, and what could be done better. Participate in community discussions about emergency planning, and let others know what worked for you, and what didn't, and suggest ways in which your community could be prepared for future emergencies. Check in with family and friends, and allow time for anxieties to subside. Continue to practice every day preventative actions, such as staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent hand-washing.