1. Public Health
  2. Coronavirus
  3. Recommendations and Guidance
  4. Individuals and Families

Individuals and Families

Updatedperson wearing cloth face covering on 9/18/2020 at 2:45pm

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Consider Your Comfort with the Risks

  • Just because something is allowed under current orders does not mean that there is zero risk of COVID-19 exposure. For any activity, weigh the benefits with the risks. Only you can decide what you are comfortable with.
  • Consider how many people you are seeing day to day. The more people you interact and socialize with, the greater the chance you have of being exposed to someone with COVID-19. By limiting your social circle to less people, you will lower your risk of COVID-19.
  • For example, even though children gathering outside of childcare facilities and schools is not advisable, if you are going to anyway, consider having an agreement among families so that only the same few children are playing together instead of your children having playdates with many different families. 
  • Think about who you in your life is at higher risk for COVID-19. If your job is to care for people who are immunocompromised or over 60 years old, for example, you may want to consider being stricter with your daily activities, even if you are not directly at higher risk of dying from COVID-19.
If you are not able or willing to follow the guidance we outlined below, then please consider all the ways in which you can lower your risk as much as possible.

The more you can wear face coverings, limit the number of people you are seeing, and lower the amount of time you are within 6 feet of others, the safer we will all be.

Continue to follow everyday prevention measures:
  • Stay home when you are sick or feel off.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Wear your face covering when out in public.
  • Stay a minimum of 6 feet away from others as much as possible.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Shopping and Visiting Establishments

  • Remember to stay 6 feet away from people who don’t live with you. For example, you should not go out to eat with someone you don’t live with, since you would both be sitting within 6 feet of each other.
  • Wear a mask or face covering unless you are eating or drinking. Visit our masks page for more information and visit the CDC website for instructions on how to make your own. You can also buy cloth face coverings at local stores or online.
  • Limit trips out by making a list, using online ordering and curbside pick-up, and planning ahead.
  • Carry hand sanitizer with you and use it often.
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home.
  • Review the establishment’s safety measures before you go. Check their website or social media channels for information about the precautions they are taking. Consider reaching out and asking them how they are keeping people six feet apart, sanitizing their facility, or monitoring their worker’s health and safety. Learn more about what is required of businesses.
  • You should cancel or postpone all in-person yard or garage sales while COVID-19 is spreading in our community. Visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website for tips on holding no-contact or virtual sales instead.
  • Follow everyday prevention measures.

Seeing Family and Friends

Remember to physically distance from anyone who does not live with you.
  • Ask yourself, “Will we all realistically be able to stay 6 feet apart during this activity?” If the answer is no, then do not host or attend the event or figure out an alternative that will ensure physical distancing.
  • Consider gatherings where it is possible to physically distance, including: bonfires, picnics (if people bring their own food and do not share food), yoga, hikes, and movie nights.
  • Avoid gatherings where it would be difficult to physically distance, including: drinking games, potlucks, playdates and parties, and team games or sports.
  • Wear a mask or face covering. Visit our masks page for more information and visit the CDC website for instructions on how to make your own. You can also buy cloth face coverings at local stores or online.
If you do decide to get within six feet of others, know what will decrease your risk.
  • Wear a face covering as much as possible. The more people who wear face coverings, the lower your risk will be.
  • Consider an outdoor activity over an indoor activity. A place with good ventilation will be less risky than a cramped or stuffy place.
  • Don’t share food, drinks, utensils, cups, or anything else that might spread spit between people.
  • Limit the time you spend within six feet as much as possible. Shorter get-togethers are better than longer get-togethers.
  • Limit the number of people at the gathering as much as possible.
  • Follow everyday prevention measures.

Considerations for Children

Limit the amount of people your child sees.
  • In order to lower your family's risk of COVID-19, your child should not come within six feet of people they do not live with.
  • If your child is going to come in contact with others, such as child care or play dates, consider the following to lower your risk:
    • Keep groups small. Smaller groups of children is better than larger groups of children.
    • Make an agreement with other parents to keep your playdates to just two or three families. If only the same children interact, this may help lower their risk.
    • If your child is above the age of two, consider a face covering when possible. Children age 5 and older are required to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces and indoor spaces where more than one household is present.
    • Go outside or in a well-ventilated area.
    • Identify activities that allow for spacing more of the time. Playing catch, for example, might keep children six feet apart more than if they were playing tag.
    • Sanitize shared objects and your child’s hands often.
    • Follow everyday prevention measures.
If your child goes to daycare or meets up with other children, take steps to avoid exposing them to others.

If your child is regularly exposed to other children or adults through playdates, child care, or other activities, you should limit your child’s exposure to others. This could mean:

  • Not taking your child to the store with you.
  • Limiting other outings that could additionally expose your family to COVID-19.
  • Not getting within six feet of grandparents and other people at higher risk of COVID-19 complications.

Going to Work

Stay home when you feel at all sick or different from normal.

You should not be going to work when you feel at all off or if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. If you do have any symptoms of COVID-19, you should not go to work and should go get tested at your doctor's office or a test site. The federal government passed the CARES Act, which provides paid sick leave to all employees who work for a company with less than 500 employees. The law allows you to take sick leave if you are experiencing symptoms and need to get tested for COVID-19.

Know what your employer is doing to lower your risk at work.

All employers are required to have policies around cleaning, hygiene, and protective measures (i.e., physical distancing). Learn more about workplace requirements and review this employee fact sheet for more information. If you feel that your employer is not implementing these policies in your workplace, please let us know by calling (608) 266-4821 or emailing compliance@publichealthmdc.com.

Romantic and Sexual Partners

Kissing, hugging, touching, and having sex with people you don’t live with can put you at a greater risk of COVID-19.
  • Kissing can easily spread COVID-19. Limit the amount of people you kiss to a small circle of people you trust.  
  • Having one or two partners will put you at less risk for COVID-19 than having many partners. Keep your circle close and talk about how you want to prevent COVID-19 before having sex, just like you would talk about condoms, PrEP, or other safer sex topics.
  • Consider ways you can be close with your partner(s) and meet sexual needs without getting within 6 feet. Phone, texting, and video calls are all good options, as well as masturbation alone or in the same room as a partner.
  • Get creative with positions and physical barriers that allow for sex to happen without close face to face contact.
  • Don’t have sex if you or your partner(s) feels at all off or has any symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Consider wearing a face covering during sex. 
  • Getting tested for STIs and HIV is important for your health, even during a pandemic. Contact your primary care provider to get tested. If you can’t get tested there, our sexual health clinic offers free, confidential testing.
  • Check out the New York City Department of Health factsheet for more strategies and tips.

Sports

All sports have restrictions, but are allowed in some capacity. 

See our factsheet on sports for a comprehensive explanation of sports restrictions and continue to follow everyday prevention measures.Low risk sports are sports that can be played individually or with physical distancing, such as archery, golf, running, and swimming. Competitions between teams are allowed for low risk sports with 6 foot physical distancing. 

Medium risk sports are sports that involve close, sustained contact, but the contact is intermittent or has other factors that reduce risk of respiratory transmission. Medium risk sports include volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball, and tennis. Competitions between teams are not allowed for medium risk sports, but games can be played within teams if the game is modified to ensure 6 foot physical distancing at all times. 

High risk sports are sports that involve close, sustained contact between individuals and have a high probability of respiratory transmission, such as football, lacrosse, hockey, boxing, and karate. Competitions between teams are not allowed for high risk sports, but games can be played within teams if the game is modified to ensure 6 feet physical distancing at all times. 

All sports must comply with mass gathering limits based on the current order. 

As a reminder, Public Health Madison & Dane County does not have authority over the UW-Madison campus, including Camp Randall football stadium.

Travel

Please see the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' recommendations for travel within Wisconsin, within the United States, and internationally.

Halloween

See our fact sheet and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for tips. 

People at Higher Risk

People at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should continue staying home as much as possible.

If you are 65 or older, or have an underlying condition that puts you at more risk of COVID-19 complications, you should continue to stay home as much as possible and follow everyday prevention measures.

Other things you can do include:

  • Continue taking your medication for your underlying condition(s), and do not delay seeking emergency care related to your medical condition(s).
  • Keep at least a 14 day supply of medication on hand, and stock up on other medical supplies if possible.
  • Have enough household items and groceries so that you will be comfortable staying in your home for a few weeks.
  • Make sure you have more than one way to communicate in case of an emergency, such as a landline, cell phone, email, or medical alert system.
  • If you have an in-home direct care provider:
    • Ask your direct care provider if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19.
    • Have them wash their hands when they enter your home and before and after touching you.
    • Both you and your care provider should wear a mask or cloth face covering if possible.
    • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
    • Plan what you will do if you or your direct support provider gets sick, and make a plan of who could provide backup care.
  • Take care of your mental and emotional health. It is normal to experience more anxiety during this time. Ask family and friends to reach out to you regularly, and find support through Resilient Wisconsin.
  • Check out the CDC website for more guidance for people with underlying conditions, older adults, and people with disabilities.

Businesses & Workspaces

See requirements for more information and guidance.