If you have close contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19, you should take medical observation for 14 days from the last day of contact. During the observation at home, it is necessary to keep in touch with medical observers, understand the key points of disease observation and nursing, and master the hand washing, ventilation, protection and disinfection measures for family prevention. The following are suggestions provided by  Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for home observation.

How to observe home quarantine after having a close contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19?

• Place every close contact in a well ventilated single room respectively and refuse all visits.
• Limit the movement of the  close contacts and minimize the shared space. Ensure that shared spaces (e.g. kitchen, bathroom) are well ventilated (e.g. keep windows open).
• Household members should stay in a different room or, if that is not impossible, maintain a distance of at least 1 m from the close contacts. Breastfeeding mothers can continue to breastfeed their babies.

• When using soap and water, disposable paper towels to dry hands is desirable. If not available, use dedicated cloth towels and replace them when they become wet.
• Materials used to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing occasionally can be discarded directly, or cleaned properly after use (such as cleaning handkerchief with ordinary soap / detergent and water).
• Avoid other types of possible exposure to close contacts or contaminated items in their immediate environment. Avoid sharing toothbrushes, cigarettes, eating utensils, dishes, drinks, towels, washcloths or bed linen. Eating utensils and dishes should be cleaned with either soap or detergent and water after use.
• It is recommended to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as bedside tables, bedframes, and other bedroom furniture daily with chlorine-containing disinfectants or peroxyacetic acid disinfectants. Surfaces of bathroom and toilet shall be cleaned and disinfected at least once on a daily basis.
• Clean clothes, bedclothes, bath and hand towels, etc. of close contacts using regular laundry soap and water ormachine wash at 60-90 ℃ with common household detergent, and dry thoroughly. Place linen used by close contacts in a laundry bag. Do not shake soiled laundry and avoid direct contact of the skin and clothes with the contaminated materials.
• Use disposable gloves and protective clothing (e.g. plastic aprons) when cleaning or handling surfaces, clothing or linen soiled with body fluids. Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
• If the close contacts of the confirmed cases present suspicious symptoms, including fever, cough, pharyngitis, chest distress, dyspnea, mild appetite, weakness, poor in spirit, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, palpitation, conjunctivitis, and mild muscle pain in the limbs or lower back, they should seek medical advice immediately. Specific recommendations are as follows:
  • Patients should wear surgical masks or N95 masks (no expiration valve) on the way to hospital.
  • Avoid public transportation to the hospital and open the windows of the vehicle if possible.
  • Wear a mask and keep hands clean at all times. Stand or sit as far away from others as possible (at least 1 m), when in transit and when in the hospital.
  • Any surfaces that become soiled withrespiratory secretions or body fluids during transport should be cleaned and disinfected with chlorine-containing disinfectant or peroxyacetic acid disinfectant.