A Province-wide state of emergency is in effect as of January 14 at 12:01 a.m. Stay at home except for essential travel and follow the restrictions and public health measures.
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 spreads from an infected person to others through respiratory droplets and aerosols created when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, shouts, or talks. The droplets vary in size from large droplets that fall to the ground rapidly (within seconds or minutes) near the infected person, to smaller droplets, sometimes called aerosols, which linger in the air under some circumstances.
The COVID-19 virus is most commonly spread from an infected person through:
The virus may also spread through touching an object with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.
People of any age or health status can develop COVID-19. However, some people are at higher risk of becoming severely ill if they are infected with COVID-19:
Symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to someone with COVID-19.
The most common symptoms include:
Other symptoms can include:
Children tend to have abdominal symptoms and skin changes or rashes.
If you develop symptoms, complete an online self-assessment tool, contact your health care provider for advice, or visit a COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
Wear a face covering.
Isolate when you are sick.
Stay 2 metres apart.
Exercise frequent hand hygiene.
Wear a face covering |
Face coverings that cover your mouth, nose, and chin help to prevent your respiratory droplets from your mouth and nose from reaching others or landing on surfaces. |
Stay home when you are sick |
If you have symptoms, you are required to self-isolate and should get tested for COVID-19 . |
Stay 2 metres (6 feet) apart |
Physical distancing means staying 2 metres apart from people outside of your household. Make changes in your everyday routines to minimize close contact with others:
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Clean your hands frequently |
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds or clean with alcohol-based hand sanitizer (containing at least 60-90% alcohol). Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. |
Practice good cough and sneeze etiquette |
When coughing or sneezing:
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Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces |
Clean high-touched surfaces twice daily. High-touch surfaces include:
If you want to disinfect surfaces, use an off-the-shelf disinfectant according to the instructions on the label and follow Public Health Ontario’s directions for cleaning and disinfection of public settings. |
Stay safe in social gatherings |
The Reopening Ontario Act, under O. Reg 82/20 (English or francais), places the following restrictions on gatherings:
Follow provincial restrictions on gathering limits. Virtual gatherings or events are the safest way to visit or recognize occasions with people outside your household. Gatherings or events outdoors are safer than indoors; however, physical distancing of 2 metres must still be maintained. |
Avoid high-risk activities and settings |
Some activities and settings increase the risk of spreading COVID-19, even when other public health measures are in place. These include:
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Ensure proper ventilation in indoor areas |
Maximize ventilation by ensuring that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are in good working order. Drawing as much fresh air as possible from outside will decrease the concentration of aerosols that may be suspended in the air and could contain the COVID-19 virus. When possible, keep windows open (e.g., in a house or vehicle). |
Download the COVID Alert app |
With the COVID Alert app, you can:
If you receive a notification of exposure you should get tested for COVID-19 and you must self-isolate while you await your test results. For further instructions on what to do if you receive notification of exposure from the COVID Alert app, refer to the “You received a notification of exposure from the COVID Alert app” heading on our self-isolation page . |