Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Prevention and risks



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How COVID-19 spreads

COVID-19 most commonly spreads from an infected person to another person through the following.

Close contact: Breathing in someone's respiratory droplets after they cough, sneeze, laugh or sing.

Breathing in someone's respiratory droplets after they cough, sneeze, laugh or sing. Contaminated surfaces: Touching something with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes with unwashed hands.

Touching something with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes with unwashed hands. Common greetings: Handshakes, hugs or kisses.

Difference between quarantine (self-isolate) and isolate

People are asked to self-isolate or isolate to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Although these two words sound the same, there's an important difference.

Quarantine (self-isolate)

If you have no symptoms and any of the following apply to you, you must quarantine for 14 days (starting from the date you arrive in Canada):

you're returning from travel outside of Canada (mandatory quarantine)

(mandatory quarantine) you're travelling to a province or territory that's enforcing 14-day quarantine for all inter-provincial travellers

for all inter-provincial travellers you had close contact with someone who has or is suspected to have COVID-19

you've been told by the public health authority that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and need to quarantine

Isolate

You must isolate if any of the following apply:

you've been diagnosed with COVID-19, or are waiting to hear the results of a lab test for COVID-19

you have symptoms of COVID-19, even if mild

you've been in contact with someone who has or is suspected to have COVID-19

you've been told by public health that you may have been exposed to COVID-19

you've returned from travel outside Canada with symptoms of COVID-19 (mandatory)

Preventing COVID-19

Going out?

Keep yourself and others safe

Canadians should continue to think ahead about the actions that they can take to stay healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. Measures to reduce COVID-19 in your community are especially important as some areas begin to lift restrictions.

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within communities and across the country, all Canadians are advised to:

avoid closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact

stay home and away from others if you feel sick

stick to a small and consistent social circle and avoid gathering in large groups

talk to your employer about working at home if possible

limit contact with people at higher risk, such as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems

go outside to exercise

keep a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others household contacts (people you live with) don't need to distance from each other unless they're sick or have travelled in the last 14 days



Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette Maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene are very important personal practices that help reduce the risk of infection or spreading infection to others. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren't available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

When coughing or sneezing: cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand dispose of any tissues you've used as soon as possible in a lined waste basket and wash your hands immediately afterwards

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Physical distancing Together, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 by making a conscious effort to keep a physical distance between each other. Physical distancing is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak. This means making changes in your everyday routines to minimize close contact with others, including: avoiding crowded places and non-essential travel

avoiding common greetings, such as handshakes

limiting contact with people at higher risk, such as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems

keeping a distance of at least 2 arms-length (approximately 2 metres) from others

Cleaning and disinfecting The COVID-19 virus is most likely to be on surfaces you frequently touch with your hands. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces to lower the chance of COVID-19 spreading in your home, workplace and public spaces. Health Canada has published a list of hard surface disinfectants that are likely to be effective for use against COVID-19. Special precautions must be used when cleaning with bleach to avoid serious incidents.

Caring for someone with COVID-19 at home When caring for someone with COVID-19, follow the appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of illness.

Risks of getting COVID-19

The risk of getting COVID-19 is evolving daily and varies between and within communities. Overall, the risk to Canadians remains high. This doesn't mean that all Canadians will get the disease. It means that there's already a significant impact on our health care system.

To stay healthy and to protect ourselves and others, we must be mindful of the ever-present risk of exposure to the virus. Some settings and situations increase the risk, such as being in:

closed spaces with poor ventilation

with poor ventilation crowded places where a large number of people gather

where a large number of people gather close contact where you can't keep 2 metres apart from others

People at a greater risk of exposure Some people may be at greater risk of COVID-19 than others due to their occupational, social, economic, and other health and life circumstances. You may be more likely to be exposed to the COVID-19 virus because: your job or occupation requires you to be in contact with large numbers of people, which increases your chances of being exposed to someone who has COVID-19

you live in a group setting where the COVID-19 virus may transmit more easily for example, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, shelters or group residences

you face barriers that limit your ability to access or implement effective public health measures for example, individuals with disabilities who encounter non-accessible information, services and/or facilities

To reduce your risk, and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to your loved ones: if you have any symptoms, even mild ones, stay home, stay away from others and get tested

keep up with effective public health practices, such as physical distancing, hand-washing and wearing non-medical masks or face coverings

wear a medical mask if you're experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and you'll be in close contact with others or going out to access medical care if a medical mask is unavailable, wear a non-medical mask or cloth face covering



People at risk of more severe disease or outcomes Coronaviruses can result in severe illness for some people in our communities. Those who are at risk of developing more severe disease or outcomes from COVID-19 are people: who are an older adult (increasing risk with each decade, especially over 60 years)

of any age with chronic medical conditions, including: lung disease heart disease high blood pressure diabetes kidney disease liver disease dementia stroke

any age who are immunocompromised, including those: with an underlying medical condition, such as cancer taking medications which lower the immune system, such as chemotherapy

living with obesity (BMI of 40 or higher) To reduce your risk, and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to your loved ones: if you have any symptoms, even mild ones, stay home, stay away from others and get tested

keep up with effective public health practices, such as physical distancing, hand-washing and wearing non-medical masks or face coverings

wear a medical mask if you're experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and you'll be in close contact with others or going out to access medical care if a medical mask is unavailable, wear a non-medical mask or cloth face covering



Pregnant people If you're pregnant and concerned about COVID-19, speak to your health care provider. Because COVID-19 is a new disease, we're still learning how it affects pregnant people. At this time, there's no evidence to suggest that pregnant people are at a greater risk: for more serious outcomes related to COVID-19

of having their developing child negatively affected by COVID-19 You can protect yourself from becoming ill by taking the following precautions. Stay home as much as possible, except for important medical appointments.

Make limited trips to the store for essentials.

Avoid crowded places and peak-hours.

Talk to your doctor, obstetrician or midwife about the possibility of telephone or videoconference appointments.

Avoid unnecessary visitors to your home.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol if soap and water aren't available.

Practise physical distancing by keeping a distance of at least 2 metres from others.

Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes without washing your hands first.

Avoid travel by public transit as much as possible. For more information, refer to our advice on pregnancy, childbirth and caring for newborns.

Travellers The risk of getting COVID-19 may be increased for travellers. If you must travel, check the latest travel advice before you leave. If you're a returning traveller (either travelling into Canada, or, in some instances, travelling from one province or territory to another) you'll be required to: quarantine (self-isolate) at home when you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and have no symptoms

isolate yourself if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and it's possible that you've been exposed to the virus We'll continue to adapt our risk assessment based on the latest data available. Additional restrictions apply to travellers returning to Canada.

Check if you've been exposed Have you been on a recent flight, cruise or train trip? Check the listed exposure locations to see if you may have been exposed to COVID-19. You can also join the effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 with Canada's free COVID Alert app. It notifies you if someone you were near in the past 14 days tells the app they tested positive. Download COVID Alert.

Survival of coronaviruses on surfaces It's not certain how long the virus survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Research suggests that the virus may live on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days depending on: temperature

type of surface

humidity of the environment Surfaces frequently touched with your own hands or other peoples hands are most likely to become contaminated, including: tables

phones

handrails

doorknobs

credit cards

countertops

light switches

faucet handles

steering wheel

cabinet handles

elevator buttons Packages that you receive in the mail may be contaminated, but because parcels generally take a few days to be delivered, the risk of spread is low. To protect yourself from COVID-19, make sure to do the following when handling products shipped within or outside of Canada: wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after handling the package

avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands

Swimming There's no evidence that COVID-19 can spread through the water. However, it can spread from person to person through close contact in and around the water. This includes crowded spaces, such as: public: lakes rivers beaches swimming pools

pool decks

change rooms

public washrooms COVID-19 can also spread through contaminated surfaces. Avoid sharing swimming gear with others. This includes things like: towels

goggles

pool toys

nose clips

kick boards

snorkel equipment

lifejackets that haven't been cleaned after use

Food There's currently no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission of the virus. There are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 transmission through food. Scientists and food safety authorities across the world are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19. If we become aware of a potential food safety risk, appropriate actions will be taken to ensure the safety of Canada's food supply. Coronaviruses are killed by common cleaning and disinfection methods and by cooking food to safe internal temperatures. Learn more about food safety and healthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Animals in Canada The current spread of COVID-19 is a result of human-to-human transmission. There's no evidence to suggest that animals infected by humans are playing a role in the ongoing spread of this disease. Animals and COVID-19 is an area that continues to be studied by scientists. Learn how to keep pets and livestock, as well as yourself, safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sexual health More research is needed to determine if the virus that causes COVID-19 can be transmitted sexually. When deciding to have sex with new partners, regardless of their sex or gender, remember to consider personal and public health. Sexual activity with new partners increases your risk of getting or passing COVID-19. Even if the people involved don't have symptoms, they could still be sick. If you decide to have sex with someone outside of your circle of contacts, take steps to reduce your risks. Monitor yourself for symptoms and don't have sex if anyone involved is feeling sick.

Limit your number of new sexual partners.

Take extra precautions with partners who are at risk for severe COVID-19 illness, such as people who: are older adults have underlying medical conditions or a weakened immune system

Consider approaches such as limiting your use of alcohol and other substances, so you and your partners are able to make safe decisions. It's important to continue practising safer sex, including getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For more information on how to protect your sexual health during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit: CATIE: Canada's source for HIV and hepatitis C information

SIECAN: Sexual health and COVID-19 (PDF)

False and misleading claims

Health Canada is closely tracking all potential drugs and vaccines in development in Canada and abroad. We are working with companies, academic research centres and investigators to help expedite the development and availability of treatments to prevent and treat COVID-19. Learn more about drugs and vaccines being developed or authorized for COVID-19.

Selling unauthorized health products or making false or misleading claims to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19 is illegal in Canada. We take this matter very seriously and we're taking action to stop this activity.

We encourage anyone who has information regarding potential non-compliant sale or advertising of any health product claiming to treat, prevent or cure COVID-19, to report it using our online complaint form.

We publish a list of companies and products and the status of the review on the list of health product advertising incidents related to COVID-19.

Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from 5G devices doesn't spread COVID-19. There's no scientific basis behind these claims. Both the World Health Organization and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection have also addressed these claims.

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