Layer Up – The Concept

In Winter, we ‘layer up’ our clothing to protect us from the cold; hat, scarf, coat, gloves – we protect ourselves from the weather to avoid getting sick.

Be prepared for the conditions:
• Every Layer adds to your protection
• Be prepared and Layer Up
• Layer Up against COVID-19
• Layer Up to Stop the Spread

In the COVID-19 pandemic, we ‘layer up’ our defences so that the virus has less opportunity to infect us and the people around us. We Layer Up with vaccines, face masks, regular hand washing/sanitising, social distance, managing out contacts, isolating when symptomatic, open windows, avoid crowds, meet outdoors.

COVID-19 Layer Up Campaign

There are many layers that offer different protections against COVID-19. The best way to keep safe is to #LayerUp all of your defences.

Vaccines/Boosters
If you are fully vaccinated then you are better protected against severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. People who have not yet had their vaccine are encouraged to come forward, and those invited for their boosters are asked to prioritise their appointment.

Face Masks
Face masks help prevent the transmission of COVID-19, especially in indoor settings where the risk is higher. When I wear a mask I protect you, when you wear one you protect me. Face masks are about protecting one another. The virus can still potentially transmit if I wear a face covering, especially if I am wearing it below my nose or if I touch
my face with contaminated hands. Face masks, when worn correctly, are another layer in our defence against COVID-19.

Open Windows
The virus spreads easier indoors than outside. Opening windows and doors or appropriate ventilation is another great layer in protecting you from contracting COVID-19.

Social distance
Breaking the chains of transmission is made easier when we do not come into close contact with another person, especially someone outside our household. Keeping 2m distance ensures that the virus does not have the space to transmit from one body to another.

Hand hygiene
Virus particles can be picked up from the surfaces we touch. Making sure you do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth without first washing/sanitising you hands is important. Washing your hands is a staple intervention in infection prevention. Make sure you wash or sanitise your hands regularly, and have sanitiser on your person when out and about. Clean hands is another layer of defence against COVID19.

Cough etiquette
Cough/sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and dispose of it in a bin. That way, particles do not reach your hands where you might spread the virus to surfaces and other people. If enough of us do this, the virus does not get as much of a chance to spread. Manage your contacts: Cutting down on the number of people we see in a given week, if done collectively, helps drive down infection in the community. Working from home, reducing numbers at a social
gathering or taking it online, postponing plans with a vulnerable family member if I have recently been in a high risk environment, are all ways of managing my contacts and another layer of protection against COVID-19.

Stay at home if symptomatic
We all should know the symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if experiencing them. While others in the community may have their layers of defence up – they are vaccinated, wearing masks, keeping distance – I could still potentially spread the virus. Staying at home stops the virus getting out and testing the layers of others.