Updated March 12, 2020
Federal, state and local health officials are working with communities across the region to protect residents and slow the spread of the novel corona virus COVID-19. 

That includes providing guidance to any individual who cares for a sick person at home(link is external). Whether that is an in-home care worker or a loved one, these people play a key role in supporting good health and minimizing the risk of spreading the virus. 
When someone in the home has confirmed or possible COVID-19, designate one person in the household as the main caregiver for the ill person. 

Ideally, this caregiver should be healthy and not have medical conditions that would put them at risk for severe illness. Those considered “high risk” include people over the age of 60 and anyone with the following conditions:

• Lung problems
• Heart problems 
• Kidney disease 
• A suppressed immune system
• Diabetes 

This page provides caregivers with guidance on how to care for ill people with mild symptoms, as well as how the caregiver can care for themselves.

How to care for an ill person at home. Most patients with COVID-19 can receive the care they need at home, as mild symptoms of COVID-19 may be similar to a cold or the flu: runny nose, cough, low-grade fever and aches. 
People are probably most contagious when they have symptoms like cough and fever. Here is what to do:

• Keep the sick person in a separate, well-ventilated room and apart from other people and pets as much as possible. 
• If a separate space is not available, keep a distance of at least six feet from people who are well.
• A sick person who is coughing or sneezing should wear a mask when around other people. If the patient cannot wear a mask, the caregiver should wear a mask or cover their nose and mouth when close to the ill person (within 3 feet).
• Provide the sick person with a separate bathroom if available and a trash bag within reach.
• Limit activities outside the home until the sick person is feeling well for at least one day.
  
  

Care for the person as if they have the flu:

• Provide healthy food and offer plenty of fluids.
• Have them rest.
• Offer non-prescription medicines for symptoms like fever and aches.
  
  

Call a healthcare provider or an emergency room if the sick person develops concerning symptoms, or if their symptoms worsen. And notify the healthcare provider or the emergency operator that the ill person has been evaluated for or diagnosed with COVID-19.
Caregiver self-care. While the risk of catching a virus from a sick person is highest for the direct caretaker, everyone in the home can take the same precautions to limit risk. Monitor your own health regularly to watch for the development of similar symptoms.
The following recommendations minimize the risk of getting sick while caring for an ill person at home.
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Practice good home hygiene:

• Properly wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after being in the same room as the ill person, handling their belongings and after using the bathroom.
• Properly clean all frequently touched surfaces on a regular basis using everyday cleaning products.
• Wear a face mask or cover your nose and mouth when interacting with the ill person if they are unable to use one.
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth without first carefully washing your hands.
• Avoid sharing dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels or bedding with an ill person.
• Wash dirty dishes in a dishwasher or, if by hand, with warm water and soap.
• Laundry can be washed in a standard washing machine with warm or cold water. It is not necessary to separate laundry used by a patient from other household laundry.
  
• In order to avoid germs, do not shake dirty laundry or “hug” dirty laundry to your chest to carry it.