Our first responders and health care workers are saving lives every day -- so can you.

Your family, your friends, your neighbors -- their lives are literally in your hands.

Here's how you can do your part and save lives:

EVERYONE

• Stay at home -- except to get essentials like food and medicine.
• If you have to go out, keep your distance -- stay at least six feet away from others -- and wear a cloth face covering, NOT a surgical mask or an N95 respirator as it is critical that these are available for first responders and healthcare professionals. For more guidance on using face coverings, refer to this article.
• Make a plan, so you only visit the grocery store or pharmacy once a week during off-peak hours for the shortest amount of time possible.
• Do not gather in person. Stay in touch with friends and family over the phone or online.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Don't touch your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• If you're sick, stay at home! (Unless it's to get medical care)
• Only go to the hospital for urgent symptoms.
• Self-isolate if you have mild symptoms.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces you touch often.

If you wish to volunteer your time, and are not at risk, sign up here for volunteer opportunities in your community.

For anyone who has personal protective equipment (PPE) they wish to donate like N95 respirators, face shields, protective goggles, surgical masks, or other protective equipment, visit covid19.nj.gov/ppedonations.

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

We've never faced a public health emergency like this before. The State is doing everything in its power to rapidly expand its capacity to treat people, but we need to make sure we have enough trained medical professionals for all this added capacity.

We need help. So to any qualified medical professional around the nation who wishes to join our fight against coronavirus: we welcome you. Retired nurses or doctors, nursing and medical students, EMTs, former members of our Armed Services Medical Corps, mental health professionals -- if you have training, we need you.

If you can join our fight, please go to covid19.nj.gov/volunteer.

BUSINESSES

If your business has personal protective equipment (PPE) they wish to donate like N95 respirators, face shields, protective goggles, surgical masks, or other protective equipment, visit covid19.nj.gov/ppedonations.

Technology professionals and firms interested in helping the State respond to the unprecedented challenges raised by COVID-19 can complete a brief intake form here: covid19.nj.gov/tech.

In addition to Executive Order No. 107, which orders all non-essential retail businesses to close to the public, Governor Murphy has issued Executive Order No. 122, which requires all non-essential construction projects to cease and imposes additional requirements on essential retail businesses and industries to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

For more information on the policies that businesses allowed to continue operating must adopt, refer to this article.

If your business is not a retail business, it may continue to operate, but must let workers work from home whenever possible. For example, professional service firms -- like law firms or accounting firms -- may continue to operate, but must let employees work from home.