COVID-19: Prevention and Groups at Higher Risk

Three statues of liberty, all wearing a face mask and holding up a COVID-19 vaccine card. Text: Protect yourself, New York. Get vaccinated, stay up to date with a booster, wear your mask.

The best way to protect yourself and those around you from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.

Learn more about the benefits of vaccination.


Prevention Tips

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Get Vaccinated

  • COVID-19 vaccines are available for people ages 6 months and older.
    • Visit the NYC COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine Finder or call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319) to find a vaccination site.
    • COVID-19: Vaccine

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Wear a Mask

  • Wear a mask when recommended, based on current spread of COVID-19.
  • Consider wearing a mask if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19 or are around others who are.
  • Always wear a mask if you are sick and unable to separate from others, and for 5 days after you leave hmoe once you start feeling better.
  • Always wear a mask for 10 days after being exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
  • Wear a high-quality mask, such as a KN95, KF94 or N95 for the best protection from COVID-19.

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Get Tested

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Stay Home If Sick

  • Follow all isolation guidance, including wearing a mask. COVID-19 is verycontagious. You can spread COVID-19 even if you do not have symptoms.
  • COVID-19: When You Are Sick

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Wash Your Hands


People at Increased Risk of Severe Illness

People at increased risk of severe illness — who are more likely to require hospitalization if they get COVID-19 — need to be especially careful. If you are at increased risk for severe illness, treatment is available.

Among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. For example, people in their 50s are at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 40s. Similarly, people in their 60s or 70s are, in general, at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 50s.

People of any age with the underlying health conditions identified by the CDC are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19:

Racial/Ethnic Groups

Long-standing systemic health and social inequities — such as in education, employment, housing and health care access — have put people from some racial and ethnic groups (including Black, Latino and Indigenous people) at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19.

Studies have shown that people from some racial and ethnic groups are dying from COVID-19 at younger ages. People of color are often younger when they develop chronic medical conditions and may be more likely to have more than one condition.


Additional Resources