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(WAND) - The American Red Cross is offering advice for how people can stay safe as they venture outside during the pandemic this summer.

The organization's list of precautions comes days before Illinois is set to move forward to Phase 4 of Gov. JB Pritzker's reopening plan. Regions must meet certain requirements in order to reach Phase 4, and the state is expected to move to this phase on June 26.

Precautions include: 

IN PUBLIC SETTINGS:

  • Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
  • Wear cloth face covering, especially in crowded areas. Do not place them on children under the age of 2.
  • Limit your risk by reducing the number of places you go and your exposure to other people.
  • Order food and other items for home delivery or curbside pick-up, if possible.
  • Visit the grocery store and other stores in person when necessary.
  • Stay at home if you are sick.

WATER SAFETY: 

  • Following state and local official guidelines, as public pools and beaches may be closed. Make sure the areas is designated for swimming. 
  • Maintain social distancing in and out of the water, between you and people who don't live in your household. Find another activity if you don't think your child can do this.
  • Wear face coverings on land, but not in the water as it may be difficult to breathe.
  • Don’t share goggles, nose clips, snorkels or other personal items.
  • An inflatable pool can be a great way to have fun, but be sure to provide constant supervision to children in and around the water.
  • Take the new Red Cross free Water Safety for Parents and Caregivers online course which focuses on the risks of drowning and how to minimize those risks, especially for young children.

GRILLING SAFETY:

  • Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use. Don’t add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
  • Never grill indoors – not in the house, camper, tent or any enclosed area.
  • Make sure everyone, including children and pets, stays away from the grill.
  • Keep the grill away from the house or anything that could catch fire.
  • Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.

The Red Cross also detailed resources people can use to respond to summer emergencies.

The Red Cross First Aid App and training courses can help save a life and can be accessed here. People can use the Emergency App to receive customized weather alerts and warnings. They can download the Swim App and visit the new Water Safety for Kids site to find videos, activities and quizzes. 

The public can also enable Red Cross skills on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices for learning first aid information, scheduling a blood donation, receiving warnings about an approaching hurricane or making a financial donation to the Red Cross. Details are available here.Â