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Take Care of Each Other

Take Care of Each Other

Keep Hennepin County Healthy

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Keep loved ones safe from the spread of COVID-19.

For Hennepin County’s 1.3 million residents, the COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges to our health and safety. Navigating the new realities of life requires a compassionate approach to ensure our families, friends, and communities are staying physically, mentally, and emotionally safe.

We are doing our part to prevent the spread of the virus.

How to Take Care

  • Prevent
  • Detect
  • Maintain

Taking precautions to reduce the risk of transmission.

  • Basic prevention steps

    Follow all of these prevention steps to decrease the risk of infecting yourself and others:

    Wear a mask

    Stay six feet apart from others in public spaces

    Cover your coughs and sneezes

    Wash your hands frequently

    Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed

    Stay at home if you are sick or waiting on test results

  • Who is at risk?

    COVID-19 does not discriminate. It is a novel (new) virus that spreads easily. So we are all at risk of infection because we, as human beings, want to be connected to our family and friends.

    Some of us are at greater risk from COVID, such as elders, those with existing health problems, and communities impacted by longstanding systemic inequities that lead to health disparities.

    The Hennepin County COVID-19 data dashboard provides updated local data for various demographic groups. To learn more about the root causes of health disparities, visit the CDC website. For translated materials, visit the Minnesota Department of Health.

  • Wearing a Mask

    Face coverings, commonly known as masks, can help stop our germs from infecting others. Research shows that wearing a mask reduces the risk of spreading the virus, especially when combined with other prevention steps like hand washing and staying six feet away from people outside your household.

    Per the Governor’s Executive Order 20-81, face coverings are required inside all businesses and public indoor spaces in Minnesota unless you’re alone within an establishment.

    For more information on mask wearing and its effectiveness, please visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.

  • Gatherings

    COVID-19 can easily spread from one person to another, especially during shared meals, parties, and other rituals. To reduce the risk of infection when rates of COVID are high in our community, we advise you to avoid gathering with people outside of your household. If you must gather, please take every precaution (see prevention steps above) as you are at a higher risk of getting or spreading COVID-19.

    The Minnesota Department of Health has tips to improve the safety of your holiday gatherings.

Do you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or do you have symptoms? If so, you should get tested and stay home. Read on to learn more about COVID-19 symptoms and testing.

  • Symptoms

    Not everyone with COVID-19 displays all symptoms. In fact, some people may not display any symptoms (asymptomatic). Symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Get more details at the Minnesota Department of Health website.

    Common symptoms:

    Fever

    Cough

    Shortness of breath

    Chills

    Headache

    Muscle pain

    Sore throat

    Fatigue

    Congestion

    Loss of taste

    Loss of smell

    Less common gastrointestinal symptoms:

    Nausea

    Vomiting

    Diarrhea

  • Taking precautions

    As the pandemic continues, staying home and/or physically distant (6’ or 2 meters) from people you don’t live with is vital to stopping the spread of COVID. Reducing your exposure to others lowers the risk of infection and spreading the virus.

    If you do become exposed through close contact with someone infected with COVID-19, it’s critical that you get tested and stay home. The safest option to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home (quarantine) for 14 days after you were exposed. Shorter quarantine periods of 10 days (or 7 days with a negative PCR test at least 5 days after exposure) may be considered in a limited number of cases (e.g., you have no symptoms, you were exposed outside of your household, you do NOT live or work in a health care or congregate setting). However, quarantines shorter than 14 days are not optimal for reducing the risk of spread because some people do not develop symptoms until the last day of their 14-day quarantine period.

    Learn more protection tips at the Minnesota Department of Health.

  • Getting tested

    COVID-19 tests are now widely available in Hennepin County. You can learn more about testing resources and locations by visiting the following websites:

    Hennepin County Community Testing

    MDH Community saliva testing

    Ramsey County COVID-19 community testing page

    You can also find free testing locations offered by the Minnesota Department of Health in partnership with communities here:

    MDH community testing page

Maintaining your physical and mental health can help you effectively weather this long and difficult pandemic.

  • Physical Health

    As day-to-day routines change because of COVID-19, it’s important to practice healthy habits. For easy, stress-free tips, visit the Minnesota Department of Health.

  • Mental Health

    Reducing loneliness is comforting and can help you feel better. Regular interaction with friends and family — even while physically distanced — can make our lives feel more normal. This can be as simple as staying in touch by phone or video calls.

    If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can find help though the Hennepin County Mental Health Emergency website.

  • Flu Shots

    It’s more important than ever to protect yourself from the flu and COVID-19. Getting a flu shot protects your health and helps keep health care resources available to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Find more information on flu vaccinations by visiting the Minnesota Department of Health.