What To Put In A Coronavirus Preparedness Kit

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If you’re monitoring the coverage of the coronavirus, then you’re probably aware that the Centers for Disease Control is advising the public to prepare for its potential spread in the US. The CDC anticipates that with the potential for spread, there may be the cancellation of large events, school and daycare closures and a shift to telecommuting to minimize the risk of exposure. It also anticipates voluntary home quarantining for those who may have been exposed.

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In the case of community spread, the CDC is expecting disruption to daily life that may require advance planning in the event that your area is affected. It may also affect the ability to leave home to gather supplies. The US Department of Homeland Security has a preparedness plan for pandemics which outlines the measures that people should take in anticipation of one. Although the CDC hasn’t declared a pandemic, it’d be useful to take a look at the guidelines to prepare for the possibility.

Flu supplies

Consider buying supplies like pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, and vitamins – in the event of a pandemic, many people will be able to treat it at home. At the moment there are no approved vaccines or medications to treat coronavirus but that symptoms include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia. It presents a greater risk to the elderly or people with underlying health conditions.

Two weeks worth of food and water

A run to the grocery store would be a good time to stock up on frozen goods and products that don’t have expirations dates in the next few months. Extra toiletries would be useful too like soap, toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues. For pet owners, make sure to have extra pet food on hand. While running water should be fine, it doesn’t hurt to pick up extra water bottles to minimize the use of household appliances if sick. Also consider foods that are easier to eat when sick like soup, crackers, and bread.

Two weeks of normally-taken medication

This includes prescription medications like antidepressants, anxiety medications, birth control and any other medications used to treat ongoing medical conditions. It’d be useful to check with your provider to see if there’s a possibility of obtaining medications early for the safety of having them on hand. If not, then a suggestion would be to look into prescription delivery as a backup option.

Health records

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It’s recommended to collect and maintain health records for the sake of having easy access to them in an emergency. If you’re not sure how to do that the US Department of Homeland Security recommends using the healthcare initiative Blue Button.

There are some things you don’t have to necessarily add to your preparedness kit right away like masks, the CDC recommends that only people who are sick or others who are in close proximity to those who are sick use masks. It’s also not suggested to prepare more supplies than needed. The warnings about coronavirus should be taken seriously but it’s also important to remain calm. As of now, the public hasn’t been given any indication to prepare for more than two weeks of supplies.