Coronavirus: Keeping clean | Mencap

Keeping clean

A man pointing to his body surrounded by arrows which are also pointing to his body

Coronavirus has to get in your body to make you sick.

A face of a woman with arrows pointing to her eyes, nose and mouth

It can get in our bodies through our eyes, nose and mouth.

A man with his hand raised to say stop behind a drawing of the coronavirus

So, the best way to stop coronavirus, is to stop it getting in!

a pair of hands covered in soapy water under a running tap

One of the best ways to do this is to keep clean.

A woman reading this easy read

This easy read information will tell you how to do this.

A man looking through a magnifying glass

Coronavirus is so small that we cannot see it.

Droplets of the coronavirus

This virus travels in tiny drops in the air.

A man coughing and sneezing with droplets of the virus coming from him

When someone with the virus coughs or sneezes the drops can travel from them into the space around them.

Drops of the virus on a hand and on a basket of fruit

The drops can land on our hands and the objects around us.

The virus on a hand and in a bowl of fruit

The virus can live where it lands.

The virus on a hand next to a light switch

If we touch things with the virus on our hands, it can live on the thing we touch.

A light switch with the virus on it next to a hand

And if we touch something with coronavirus on it, it will be on our hands.

A man thinking about what he touches

Think about the things we touch every day, including:

A hand touching a door handle

door handles

A bowl of fruit

food

someone using a mobile phone

mobile phones

a hand holding a set of keys

door keys

The virus on a pair of hands

Having the virus on your hands should not make you sick.

A woman touching her face with hands that have the coronavirus on them

But if you touch your face with the virus on your hands, it can get in your mouth, nose or eyes.

A man touching his neck as he has a sore throat

If it gets in your body, you may catch the virus and get sick.

A pair of hands covered in soapy water under a running tap

That is why you must:

wash your hands often

A picture of a woman touching her face with a red cross over it

and not touch your face

A pair of soapy hands under a running tap

How to wash your hands

A pair of clean hands

There is a special way to wash your hands to make sure they are clean.

A laptop displaying the word click

You can find this information on our How to wash your hands easy read page

A woman chopping a cucumber on a wooden chopping boarrd

Remember to wash your hands:

before making food or eating

A man blowing his nose in a tissue

after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose

A toilet

after using the toilet

A woman walking and a tree

after going outside

A man blowing his nose

Catch coughs and sneezes!

A box of tissues

Catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue if you can.

A tissue with an arrow pointing at a waste bin

Throw the issue in the bind right away.

A pair of soapy hands under a running tap

Then wash your hands with soap and water.

A woman coughing into her elbow next to a green tick

If you do not have a tissue, sneeze into your elbow.

A woman coughing into her hand beside a red cross

Try not to cough or sneeze into your hands.

Two women next to each other, one is coughing and beside them is a red cross

Try not to cough or sneeze near to other people.

A man who is coughing is a distance away from another person. Beside this picture is a green tick

Stay away from other people who are coughing or sneezing.

Two people beside a stopwatch

How long can the virus live on something I have touched?

Days of the week on a list, two days have been ticked. Next to this list is a light switch covered in the coronavirus

The virus can live on a surface for around 2 days.

Someone using a mobile phone

If you touch something a lot,

A table with droplets on it

or if you cough or sneeze on something,

Gloves and cleaning products

make sure you clean it.

a blue lowercase letter i inside a blue circle

Where can I get more information?

A laptop displaying the word click

Find out more information about coronavirus on the public health matters website.

A woman talking on the phone

If you are worried, speak to someone you trust or call the Learning Disability Helpline on 0808 808 1111

Two people on the telephone next to a Call 111 sign

For medical advice call 111

A phone displaying 999 next to a police blue light

In an emergency call 999