In early April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that due to mounting evidence of transmission of COVID-19 by asymptomatic patients and the difficulty of social distancing in settings such as grocery stores, it was recommending that Americans wear cloth face masks in public settings. A mask, whether purchased or homemade, should always be worn in public and paired with social distancing and hand washing.
Masks
DO:
- Use the ear loops or ties to put on the mask, secure the mask and remove it.
- Wash your hands before and after wearing a mask.
- Wear your mask so it comes all the way up, close to the bridge of your nose, and all the way down under your chin. Do your best to tighten the loops or ties so it’s snug around your face, without gaps.
- Wash and dry a cloth mask daily and keep it in a clean, dry place.
DON’T:
- Touch the fabric part of the mask — that’s essentially a germ filter, and you don’t want to spread whatever germs it has trapped.
- Wear the mask below your nose.
- Leave your chin exposed.
- Wear your mask loosely with gaps on the sides.
- Wear your mask so it covers just the tip of your nose.
- Push your mask under your chin to rest on your neck.
Print resources:
These PDF files show how to wear a mask properly, how to assess the risk associated with various activities and how to clean and disinfect.
Poster size
- Mask wearing do's and dont's: English | Español
- Activity risks/cleaning recommendations: English | Español
Letter size
Handwashing
Despite decades of advancement in medicine, advice on disease prevention, including the coronavirus, often comes back to something simple: Washing your hands. This is for good reason. Up to 80% of communicable diseases are transferred by touch. Learn more about the importance of handwashing.
Social distancing
To combat COVID-19, public health and government officials have recommended measures to reduce the opportunity for the virus to spread. The approach, called social distancing or physical distancing, aims to slow the emergence of new cases of the disease and to reduce the spread of the virus. Learn why this approach remains important.
Data
Connect with the most up-to-date data in your community by visiting the following dashboards.
Testing Information
Testing capacity and availability has continued to expand in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
Ohio: Ohioans may be tested for coronavirus at sites including private companies and community health centers. Please visit the state’s testing page for details about each location’s practices, to get a test referral or to schedule an appointment. Additionally, the Health Collaborative has partnered with Hamilton County, five regional health systems and the University of Cincinnati to provide pop-up COVID-19 testing throughout Hamilton County through the Test and Protect initiative.
Kentucky: Find COVID-19 testing sites and filter by county by visiting the state’s website.
Indiana: Indiana has more than 200 testing sites across the state. Search by county here.