Ebola CARE Kit - Review Material

C A R E
Check and Report Ebola Kit

If you get sick, get care early for your best chance to get better!

Table of Contents

C A R E

Connect with Your Health Department

2

Check and Report Your Health

3

Dear Traveler,

How to Take Your Temperature

4

Whether you are returning home or just visiting, welcome to the United
States! Since you are coming from a country with an Ebola outbreak, you
may be worried and have questions. On behalf of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), I want you to know that we CARE!

Symptoms of Ebola

6

How to Use Your Symptom and Temperature Log

7

Symptom and Temperature Log

8

Phone Numbers for State and Local Health Departments

10

How to Use Your CARE Phone

12

Other CDC Resources about Ebola

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This Check and Report Ebola (CARE) Kit will provide you with information
and tools you need to protect your health and the health of those who are
close to you. The tools in this kit will help you look for Ebola symptoms and
communicate with your health department each day for 21 days after your
departure from a country that has an Ebola outbreak.
We at CDC are committed to improving the health and safety of people
around the world. CDC is working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to stop the
Ebola outbreak at its source.
We need your help! By following the instructions in this kit, you can
protect yourself, your family, and others who are close to you. Together, we
can stop Ebola.
Sincerely,

Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH
Director, CDC

Connect with Your Health Department

If you have been exposed to Ebola, it may take up to 21
days to know if you will get sick. It is important to check
your health two times each day for 21 days after you
leave a country that has an Ebola outbreak. Follow the
steps below to check and report your health:

After you arrive in the United States, a public health worker from a state or local health
department will call you within 24 hours. During the call, you will learn:
• Who to call if you get sick with Ebola symptoms.
• How to report your health checks every day to the health department.
If you do not get a phone call from a public health worker within
24 hours, call the health department in your state using the list
of phone numbers on pages 10 and 11.
How does your health department want you to report your health checks? (Check one.)
Taking a call
Making a call
Meeting in person

Step 1 Do health checks every morning and every night:

• take your temperature (see pages 4 and 5),
• look for any other Ebola symptoms (see page 6 for a list of symptoms), and
• write your temperature and any symptoms in the log (see pages 8 and 9).

Visiting a website
Other: __________________________________________
Be sure to talk to the public health worker about any travel plans, especially if you want to
travel to another state or to another country. If you are allowed to travel, there may be special
steps you need to follow.
Write down the contact information given to you by the public health worker:
Name: _____________________________________________________________________
Phone number: ______________________________________________________________
Email or website: _____________________________________________________________
If I get sick, the public health worker told me to:
___________________________________________________________

C A R E

Check and Report Your Health

DATE

DAY
0
DAY
1
DAY
2

Jan 1, 2015

Jan 2, 2015

Jan 3, 2015

SYMPTOMS

TEMP

Day 0 is the day you left the country that has an Ebola outbreak.
No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

Step 2 Report your temperature and any symptoms to your health

department every day. In most cases, you can continue
your daily activities, UNLESS:
you have a fever (you feel feverish or your
• temperature
is 100.4°F/38°C or above) OR
• you have any other Ebola symptoms.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Use the space below to write any other important information given to you.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Step 3 If you have a fever or any other Ebola symptoms, DO NOT go out in
public! Get care IMMEDIATELY by calling your state or local health department.
If you cannot talk to someone at your health department right away,
• call
CDC at 1-800-232-4636.
If you have a medical emergency, call 911 and let them know you
• are
in the CDC Ebola CARE Program.

___________________________________________________________

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C A R E

How to Take Your Temperature

The thermometer in your CARE Kit is for ONLY YOU to use. DO NOT SHARE IT.

Before you take your temperature:

How to Take Your Temperature

1. Turn the thermometer on
by pressing the button
near the screen.

WAIT 30 MINUTES after eating, drinking, or exercising.

2. Hold the tip of the

thermometer under your
tongue until it beeps. Do
not bite the thermometer.

3. Read your temperature
on the screen.

WAIT 3 TO 4 HOURS after taking medicines that can lower your temperature, like:

• acetaminophen, also called paracetamol (such as Tylenol®)
• ibuprofen (such as Motrin® or Advil®)
• aspirin

4. Write your temperature
in the Symptom and
Temperature Log on
pages 8 and 9.

5. Clean the tip of your

thermometer with soap
and water.

To change the thermometer from Fahrenheit (°F) to Celsius (°C)
The thermometer is set to measure temperature in Fahrenheit. For most thermometers, if you want to
switch to Celsius, turn on the thermometer and wait for the dashes to appear. Quickly press and hold the
button located near the display screen. You will see the “F” change to “C.”
If you have any questions about how to use your thermometer, read the instructions included in the box.

4

Please note: For children under 4 years old, place
the thermometer under the child’s arm in the center
of the arm pit. Tell the public health worker that you
are taking your child’s temperature this way.

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C A R E

Symptoms of Ebola

Track your symptoms
on the following
pages for 21 days.

Remember:
Check symptoms and report early!
Getting care early is your best chance to get better!

How to Use Your Symptom and Temperature Log
Twice a day (morning and night), write down your temperature and any
Ebola symptoms you may have on the following pages. Do this every day
until 21 days after you left the country that has an Ebola outbreak.

1. Fill in the dates on the log, starting with Day 0 and ending with Day 21.
Day 0 is the day you left the country that has an Ebola outbreak.

2. Start recording your temperature and symptoms, beginning
FEVER

with today’s date.

STOMACH PAIN

DIARRHEA OR
RUNNING STOMACH
DATE

VOMITING

BLEEDING: RED EYES

MUSCLE PAIN

FEELING WEAK
OR TIRED

HEADACHE
6

DAY
0
DAY
1
DAY
2
DAY
3
DAY
4
DAY
5

Jan 1, 2015

Jan 2, 2015

Jan 3, 2015

Jan 4, 2015

Jan 5, 2015

Jan 6, 2015

SYMPTOMS

TEMP

Day 0 is the day you left the country that has an Ebola outbreak.
No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

No Symptoms

98.6

BLOODY NOSE
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C A R E

Symptom and Temperature Log

Write your symptoms and temperature in the space below, and
share this information with your health department every day.
DATE

DAY
0
DAY
1
DAY
2
DAY
3
DAY
4
DAY
5
DAY
6
DAY
7
DAY
8
DAY
9
DAY
10

SYMPTOMS

DATE

TEMP

Day 0 is the day you left the country that has an Ebola outbreak.

SYMPTOMS

TEMP

DAY
11
DAY
12
DAY
13
DAY
14
DAY
15
DAY
16
DAY
17
DAY
18
DAY
19
DAY
20
DAY
21
If you do not get sick during the 21 days, your daily health checks will be
complete and no longer needed. You will also know that you do not have Ebola.

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C A R E

Phone Numbers for State and Local Health Departments
Use this list of phone numbers if you need to contact the health department in your state.
These phone lines are monitored at all times, and travelers may call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This list of phone numbers may change. For the most up-to-date list, visit
www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/state-local-health-department-contacts.html.

State
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California

If you are in L.A. County, call:

Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois

If you are in Chicago, call:

Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
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Phone Number
1-866-264-4073
1-800-478-0084 or 1-907-269-8000
1-480-303-1191
1-501-661-2136
1-916-845-8911
1-213-989-7140
1-303-692-2700 M–F 8 am – 5 pm MST
1-303-370-9395 after 5 pm & weekends
1-860-509-8000
1-302-744-4700
1-844-493-2652
1-850-245-4401
1-866-782-4584
1-808-586-4586 7:45 am–4:30 pm HST
1-808-566-5049 after hours
1-208-334-5939
1-217-782-7860
1-312-744-5000 (ask for the Communicable Disease Physician on call)
1-317-233-1325 or 1-800-382-9480
1-515-281-7689 or 1-866-834-9671
1-877-427-7317
1-888-973-7678
1-800-256-2748
1-800-821-5821
1-410-795-7365
1-617-983-6800
1-517-335-9030
1-651-201-5414
1-601-576-8085
1-800-392-0272, extension 1

State
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York

If you are in New York City, call:

North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgin Islands

If you are in St. Thomas/St. John, call:
If you are in St. Croix, call:

Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Phone Number
1-406-444-0273
1-402-471-1983
1-775-400-0333
1-603-271-5300
1-609-392-2020
1-505-827-0006
1-866-881-2809
1-347-396-6194
1-919-733-3419
1-800-211-4451
1-614-722-7221
1-405-271-4060
1-971-673-1111
1-877-724-3258
1-787-380-8112 or 1-787-679-6295
1-401-222-2577 M–F 8:30 am – 4:30 pm EST
1-401-272-5952 after 4:30 pm & weekends
1-803-608-6014
1-605-280-4810
1-800-404-3006
1-800-705-8868 and 1-800-252-8239
1-888-374-8824
1-802-863-7240
1-340-774-9000
1-340-773-1311
1-866-531-3068 (ask for on call epidemiologist)
1-206-418-5500
1-800-423-1271, extension 1 or 1-304-558-5358, extension 1
1-844-WI-EBOLA (844-943-2652)
1-888-996-9104
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How to Use Your CARE Phone

Other CDC Resources about Ebola

While you are in the United States, you can use your CARE phone to stay in contact with
your health department and for personal communication. The phone is pre-paid for at least
21 days and is ready to use for unlimited domestic calls and text messages during that time.

CDC’s website has resources in English, French, and Spanish to help
you understand Ebola at www.cdc.gov/ebola. You may also want to
refer friends and family to the CDC Ebola website to learn more.

C A R E

For answers to commonly asked questions, see the following:
General Information:
www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/qa.html
Low battery indicator
Text and voice messages

Food Safety and Ebola:
www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/qas-food-safety.html

Receiving
When you see “New Message” on your screen,
press the large center button to hear the voice
message or read the text.

How Ebola is Spread:
www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/qas.html

At any other time, you can listen to voice
messages by pressing and holding the “1” button.

Pets, Other Animals, and Ebola:
www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/qas-pets.html

Sending
To send a text message, go to “Menu.” Select “Text
Messages.” Then select “New Message.” Enter the
phone number and your message. To send the
text, press “Options,” scroll to and press “Send.”

Make a call
Enter the phone number
and press the green button.

Answer a call

Turn on phone

Press the green button.

Press and hold the red power
button.

Charge your phone
Connect the charger to the
phone and plug the other
end into an outlet.

What should you do with your phone after 21 days?
The phone is yours, so you can decide what to do with it. If you would like to keep your phone
and extend service at your own cost, dial 611 on your phone or visit http://att.com/gophone.
If you do not want to keep your phone, you can donate it by returning it to a cell phone store
that collects old phones. For example, AT&T stores will accept this phone for donation. Many
charities collect used phones, so you may want to donate it to an organization of your choice.
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