And with winter coming, health experts say it’s only going to get worse, as more people gather indoors to avoid cold weather.
How else can you protect yourself and those you love? Here’s a refresher on the basics.
Wear a mask properly
N95 masks offer the best protection, but they are in short supply, and the CDC is asking people not to go out and buy them, because they are urgently needed by health care workers.
Washable, breathable cloth masks will do the job, but they should have at least two layers — three are better — and you can add a filter for more protection.
Masks should cover both your nose and mouth, and should fit snugly, with no gaps.
Wash your hands
Work up a good lather and scrub your hands, fingers and under your nails for at least 20 seconds. Use clean, running water to thoroughly rinse, then scrub them dry.
Washing for at least 20 seconds has been shown to remove more microbes than washing for shorter periods. Singing “Happy Birthday” twice while washing can work as a “timer.”
Use hand sanitizer
It’s important that both of your hands are covered completely, including between the fingers and under the nails. Rub your hands until they are dry. Use it generously if your hands are greasy or really dirty, since the sanitizer might not be as effective in that case, according to the CDC.
Reduce your risk
The best thing you can do is stay home, if possible, and reduce your risk by cutting down on errands and trips to the store.
The safest place outside your home is the outdoors. But even there, you should keep a safe distance from people you don’t live with.
You can also reduce risk by getting take out food instead of dining in restaurants and avoiding public transportation, if possible.
Going to bars and nightclubs is considered one of the riskiest things you can do.
Be prepared
With coronavirus infections soaring around the country, the coming winter is only going to make things worse as people spend more time indoors together.
And there’s always the possibility that you will have to quarantine if you come into contact with someone who has the virus.
Public health officials advise having two weeks of food on hand. Having the pantry stocked will also reduce your trips to the grocery store.
Make sure you have enough cleaning and disinfecting supplies and that your medicine cabinet is stocked with cough drops and syrup for coughing symptoms, decongestants for congestion, acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain and fevers, and antidiarrheals. Keep adhesive bandages stocked for wounds.
If you take prescription drugs, ensure you have enough on hand.
Check for symptoms and get tested
But there’s also diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, loss of smell and taste, body aches, mental confusion and even delirium.
If you have been exposed to the coronavirus, symptoms will probably show up within a week, health experts say. That is, if you are going to have them at all — which some people don’t. Any or all symptoms can appear between two to 14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unless you have serious symptoms, avoid emergency rooms, which are overrun in many places. Call your doctor and follow her or his instructions.
In that case, call 911 or call ahead to the emergency care facility near you, the CDC advises.
Don’t stress about disinfecting packages
The same goes for washing fruits and vegetables, according to the FDA. Just rinse them in plain water.
We know now that the main way the virus is transmitted is through the air, in respiratory droplets or aerosols from an infected person. But it’s still important to disinfect surfaces and wash your hands after being out or touching objects from outside your home.
CNN’s Maggie Fox, Holly Yan, Sandee LaMotte, AJ Willingham, Kristen Rogers, Scottie Andrew and Alicia Lee contributed to this report.
