Consumer Resources

COVID-19 Toolkit

The US government has created a COVID-19 Toolkit specific to your community with all the resources you need to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19.

Vaccine Eligibility

All individuals (6 months and older) that reside in the US are eligible to be vaccinated.

Vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, local health departments, clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and other locations across the state. Visit Vaccines.gov to find appointments near you or contact your local pharmacy or provider. While the vaccination process is underway, New Yorkers should continue to wear a mask, social distance, avoid large gatherings and follow all other health guidelines.

Food Safety Practices

In the run-up to stocking home shelves as people try to reduce the frequency of going to the grocery store, people sometimes dismiss food safety rules as they pack their refrigerators, creating issues that can cause potential foodborne illness. The following websites give great information to the consumer on safely handling, cooking and storing food.

DO
  • DO store like items together in the refrigerator.
  • DO clean surfaces first and then sanitize surfaces with a sanitizer cloth or spray.
  • DO give sanitizers time to work. Follow the preparation and use instructions, and allow the recommend contact time to air dry.
  • DO remember there are potential hazards associated with your food, protect ready-to-eat foods from contamination and cook foods designed to be cooked properly to the specified time/temperature.
  • DO wash your hands often, especially after coming into your home, before preparing or serving foods, while handling foods designed to be cooked and before eating any foods. A good rule of thumb is to wash your hands when you are going from one type of food to another in terms of hand handling.
DO NOT
  • DO NOT store items designed to be cooked (fresh chicken, ground beef, eggs, etc) with RTE items (leafy greens, fresh vegetables, etc).
  • DO NOT use the same utensils/surfaces to prepare foods designed to be cooked and then RTE foods without cleaning & sanitizing them in between. This is to prevent cross-contamination, as bacteria that can make people sick could be on these utensils/surfaces and if used uncleaned can transfer the bacteria to the RTE foods that has no kill step to destroy the pathogenic bacteria prior to consumption.
  • DO NOT mix cleaners, sanitizers, disinfectants, acids or any other chemicals. Use cleaners and other chemicals according to the label directions, wear protective gear, and keep chemicals out of reach of kids. Calls to US Poison Centers about cleaner and disinfectant exposures has increased by 20%.

Additional Resources

Consumer Resources

Educational Videos on COVID-19

English & Spanish

Information Portal

Resources & Guidance Archive

Some of the resources from this page have been archived in an effort to highlight relevant information. Please note that information in this document may be outdated and links may no longer function.

This work is supported by USDA NIFA AFRI Grant NO:2020-68006-32875/ Accession no. 1024254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA.