Covering coughs and sneezes and keeping hands clean can help prevent the spread of serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and COVID-19. Germs can be easily spread by:

• Coughing, sneezing, or talking
• Touching your face with unwashed hands after touching contaminated surfaces or objects
• Touching surfaces or objects that may be frequently touched by other people

To help stop the spread of germs:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
• Throw used tissues in the trash
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands