The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that seniors and those with chronic health conditions are the most at-risk for serious illness caused by the coronavirus; they urge that those in this vulnerable population take appropriate precautions to mitigate their risk of becoming sick.
Everyone should be taking precautions at all times to avoid contracting or spreading COVID-19. That means covering your face in public, practicing social distancing while in the company of anyone who lives outside your own home and avoiding gatherings of all sizes.
Reported symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath and respiratory illness, including pneumonia in severe cases.
If anyone displays symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever, cough or shortness of breath, they should stay home and they are advised to contact their primary care physician. According to the CDC, symptoms of the virus appear within 2-14 days of exposure.
Get Tested
For information about how to find a COVID-19 test, click here.
To order free at-home tests from the U.S. government, click here.
To learn about how to obtain free at-home tests or obtain reimbursement through your insurance for at-home tests, click here.
If you feel sick, the CDC recommends:
- Call your primary care physician before visiting them in person
- Stay home and limit your contact with others
The DPH recommends that residents continue with good hygiene practices including:
- Practice good hand hygiene! Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds including under your fingernails. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol content) can be used when soap and water are not available.
- Keep your hands away from your face.
- Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing with a tissue and discard it immediately. Cough into the sleeve over your elbow instead of your hand. Wash your hands often when coughing and sneezing.
- Stay away from people who are sick and stay home when you are sick.
For more information, visit the DPH website by clicking here and the CDC’s website by clicking here.
Get Vaccinated
Vaccines and boosters are available free of charge to all U.S. residents five and older. To find a vaccination site that’s convenient to you, click here.
Vaccines are proven to be safe and to greatly reduce the risk of significant illness, hospitalization or death as a consequence of COVID-19 infection. To learn more about vaccine safety, click here.