Protect yourself and others

Staying home if you are sick can stop the spread of COVID-19. If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms you should get a test as soon as you start to feel unwell.

Doing a test and reporting the result in My Covid Record means you can get the help you need as early as possible.

It is also important to test before visiting people who are at higher risk and to not visit them if you have any symptoms.

Call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice about getting tested.

COVID-19 symptoms

How to get a COVID-19 test

There are locations where there is a greater risk of infection spreading between people. These include:

• public transport — buses, trains, indoors on ferries and flights
• closed indoor spaces with poor ventilation
• crowded places
• close-contact settings, for example, if there are face-to-face conversations, shouting or singing.

Consider limiting the time you spend indoors with large groups of other people. If you cannot avoid crowds, wear a well-fitting face mask to help protect you. Eat and drink outside when possible.

If you are hosting or inviting people into your home:

• have hand sanitiser available
• open the windows and doors
• eat outdoors when possible
• spend time outside.

Face masks can help reduce the spread of COVID-19. They are useful in poorly ventilated indoor areas and when you are in a crowd of people.

They stop particles from spreading when someone speaks, laughs, coughs or sneezes. Respirator-type masks such as N95, KN95 or FFP2 masks also help prevent you from breathing in the virus. This is particularly useful when someone has COVID-19 but feels well or has no obvious symptoms.

You must wear one when visiting healthcare services.

Wearing a face mask

You are not required to maintain physical distance from others. But it is still worthwhile keeping a safe distance from people while you are out and about. This will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Good ventilation helps remove COVID-19 virus particles in the air. We encourage you to let in fresh air every day, including after someone visits your home, shop or office.

If you can, partly open a window about 5cm for most of the day. Or open windows for at least 15 minutes as often as possible, whenever it is practical to do so.

If your windows do not open, check if your ventilation system filters (cleans) the air.

Ventilation and COVID-19

Cough or sneeze into your elbow or cover your mouth and nose with tissues. Put tissues in a bin immediately, then wash or sanitise your hands. This will catch the droplets and keep the virus off your hands, so you will not spread it to others people, surfaces or objects.

Washing or sanitising your hands is 1 of the easiest ways to keep yourself and others safe. Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. Then dry your hands completely.

Using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser is also effective at killing germs and viruses. The sanitiser needs to be at least 60% alcohol. Make sure you use enough product to cover your hands, rub it in and allow it to dry.

You should wash or sanitise your hands if you have been in a public place, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

Avoid touching your face, including your eyes, nose or mouth, if your hands are not clean. Either way you clean your hands, it will kill the COVID-19 virus by bursting its protective bubble.

Keeping your hands clean also prevents other types of germs and viruses. This is especially important if you are visiting vulnerable people.

Clean surfaces regularly. This includes frequently touched items like door handles, light switches and phones.

When an infected person breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they may spread particles containing the virus. These particles range in size. The larger and heavier particles or droplets can settle on surrounding surfaces.

Use regular household cleaning products and follow instructions. Remember to store cleaners and disinfectants safely.