Stay home if you are sick
Keep the lid on COVID-19
With Governor Dunleavy moving to reopen Alaska’s economy Alaskans are excited about getting out of the house. But what can you do to “keep the lid on COVID-19” and keep flattening the curve? Social distancing is one of the most important things you can do during a pandemic to help save lives and prevent our health care system from exceeding capacity. So, when you do go out of the house, be sure you continue to practice social distancing and wear a cloth face cover when going into businesses or into gatherings other than with members of your household.
What you can do
The primary ways you can “keep the lid on COVID-19” are through social distancing, frequent hand-washing, wearing a face mask when you're out in public and disinfecting high-touch surfaces. And if you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or are feeling even mildly ill with symptoms—contact your medical-care provider or public health center to get tested. Those who can need to stay home because our health-care professionals and other workers providing essential services don't have that option. They’re working on the frontlines of this crisis, and they need all of us to stand together, six feet apart.
Social Distancing
Social distancing is the practice of voluntarily and deliberately reducing or eliminating close contact with other people in order to stop or slow the spread of a contagious illness—such as COVID-19. Social distancing can include:
- Staying at least six feet away from other people
- Not leaving home unless necessary
- Working from home (including school work)
- Cancelling large gatherings—such as concerts, church meetings and sporting events
- Adhering to the new guidelines regarding entering businesses, going to meetings or religious services, and generally being around people other than those in your household.
Quarantine
Quarantine differs from isolation in that quarantine is for people
who are not sick but may have been, or want to prevent being, exposed
to the COVID-19 virus. The Alaska Division of Public Health
recommends that people self-quarantine (voluntarily) for at least 14
days to determine whether they will become ill or be contagious.
Isolation
Isolation refers to people who are infected with a contagious
illness—such as COVID-19. Isolation means to stay away from those who
are not infected until your symptoms pass and you are determined to
be no longer ill or contagious. Isolation can be done at home or in a
hospital setting.
Thank you all for your efforts, and stay healthy and well, Alaska!
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