I’m pregnant, how do I protect myself from COVID- 19?
Take the same precautions to avoid a COVID-19 infection as other people. This includes:
- Washing your hands frequently with soap and water. Washing your hands is the most important step to prevent the spread of illness. Wash for 20 seconds, using warm water and soap. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Practice social distancing. Keep 6 feet of space between you and others and avoid crowded spaces. On March 23, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order stating Michigan residents should refrain from all non-essential activities until the order is lifted. Essential activities include grocery shopping or picking up food, obtaining medication, walking or riding bikes outdoors, and going to work if an essential worker.
- Wear a cloth face covering in public such as when grocery shopping or at the pharmacy. Learn more about how to make and use face masks. Wearing a cloth face covering isn't a substitute to social distancing, handwashing or other preventative actions. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, can't move, or anyone who cannot remove the mask without help. Plastic face shields for newborns or infants are not recommended. There is no data supporting the use of infant face shields for protection against COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses. An infant face shield could increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or accidental suffocation and strangulation.
- If you must bring your baby out in public, cover the infant carrier, NOT the baby, with a light blanket. This protects the baby but allows them to breathe safely. Remove the blanket when your baby is not in direct view, including in the car. Learn more here.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough. Cover mouth and nose in a bent elbow or tissue when you cough/sneeze. Dispose tissue immediately and wash your hands.
- Clean then disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects. Learn more about cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces here.
- Launder items, including washable plush toys, by following the label or instructions. Launder items with the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry them completely. If possible, dirty laundry from a sick person can be washed with other people's items, but wash your hands after handling the dirty laundry.
- If you are sick, you should stay home unless you need medical care. Learn more information here about how to protect yourself.