COVID-19

Stay Safe While You’re in the Hospital

The Basics

COVID-19, sometimes called the coronavirus, is a respiratory virus that spreads very easily from person to person. It causes mild symptoms in some people and severe symptoms or even death in others. Some people can also carry and spread the virus without having any symptoms.

Know the Signs

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• fever or chills
• cough
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• fatigue
• congestion or runny nose
• muscle and body aches
• headache
• sore throat
• new loss of taste or smell
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea

You’re more likely to get COVID-19 if you’ve been in close contact with another person who has the illness, and your risk of developing serious symptoms increases as you get older or if you have other health problems. Also, certain settings and activities can make you more likely to get sick. Learn more about your risk factors.

Reduce Your Risk

Take these steps to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19 during your hospital stay:

• Wear a snug-fitting mask over your nose and mouth, especially if COVID-19 is spreading a lot in your community.
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to wash your hands before eating and after using the bathroom. If you need to wash your hands but can’t get to the bathroom on your own, use your nurse call button to ask for help.
• Sanitize your hands with alcohol-based gel. Have hand sanitizer placed near your bed so you can clean your hands throughout the day. Make sure the gel contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw tissues out immediately, then wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Make sure your nurse or housekeeping cleans and disinfects frequently touched surfaces, such as bed rails, remote controls and doorknobs.
• Have visitors take special steps to keep you and themselves safe. If visitors are allowed, make sure they wash their hands before coming into your room and ask them to wear a mask.

Get Vaccinated

The COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are safe and effective and will make you less likely to get seriously sick from COVID-19. The vaccines also help stop community spread of the virus. Talk to your doctor or click here to find out which vaccines you need, how many doses and when. 

Visit vaccines.gov for more information or to find a vaccine location near you. You can also check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for your COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level and guidelines on what you can and can’t do safely.

If you have questions about getting the vaccine, talk to your doctor.

Follow Visitation Rules

Hospitals may have visitation rules in place to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. If you aren’t sure about the visiting rules for your unit, ask your nurse. And please tell your loved ones to follow these rules. To keep in touch with loved ones when in-person visits are not possible, try a daily phone call or video chat.