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COVID-19 has taken 2020 by storm and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. We need to remain prepared with the proper coronavirus emergency supplies if we’re going to avoid more community outbreaks.
We’ve had a few pandemics come and go in recent memory, but none have altered life around the globe like coronavirus. Social distancing, masks, and sheltering in place all seem to be here for the foreseeable future, so we need to adapt to what many are calling the “new normal”.
When you type “emergency supplies for pandemic” into Google, you’re going to get a wealth of information, which can be more overwhelming than helpful.
Emergency Supplies for Pandemic
We’re going to give you a definitive rundown on the things you need to remain safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Build yourself a pandemic emergency kit and you’ll be able to live the most normal life possible during this extremely abnormal time.
Building an emergency kit is going to be crucial in keeping yourself and your family safe during COVID-19. This virus isn’t going anywhere until we’ve got the ability to distribute a vaccine to the entire world, so these things should be a part of your every day for the next several months or even years.
Why You Need Coronavirus Emergency Supplies at Home?
Because we’re deep into the pandemic already, we know that the supply chain hasn’t broken down yet and won’t if we’re careful.
You don’t necessarily need to overload on things like toilet paper, canned foods, and other household supplies because that’s going to put a lot of strain on your community.
That being said, if you’re forced to quarantine, you need to have the right supplies to sustain you for the full 14 days.
Here’s what you should focus on coronavirus emergency supplies:
1. Masks and Gloves
We know that coronavirus prevention transmits predominantly by “respiratory droplets” that enter a person’s eyes, nose, or mouth.
It spreads through coughing, sneezing, talking, and even breathing, but also by touching a surface with the virus on it, then touching your face.
Importance of Wearing Masks
For this reason, the importance of masks cannot be overstated. An N95 mask is what medical professionals are given, but you can get away with a homemade fabric mask or a lighter medical mask if that’s all you have access to.
Wearing masks in public is required in most places, but if it’s not, it’s still in your and everyone you know’s best interest to wear one. If everyone in your community follows the mask mandates, you’ll see infection numbers drop.
Although gloves aren’t required anymore, it’s not a bad idea to have them when you’re out shopping.
2. Hand Sanitizer and Soap
Hand hygiene has never been more important than it’s been in the fight against COVID. If you sanitize as much as possible and wash your hands for 20-30 seconds when you get home from an outing, you’ll kill whatever bacteria you’ve picked up from touching products, handrails, doors, etc.
As we said earlier, the virus can transmit when you touch a contaminated surface, then your face.
Between wearing a mask to shield your nose and mouth and sanitizing your hands regularly, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of catching the virus.
3. Disinfectant Wipes
Disinfectant wipes are handy in situations where you need to sanitize objects. If you’re on transit, in a public washroom, or at a store, you can use disinfectant wipes to clean things before you touch them with your hands.
4. Laundry Detergent
Although transmission through clothing is unlikely, it’s important to have enough laundry detergent in your house in the event that you catch the virus and have to quarantine.
When you’re living in a house with other people, cleaning your clothes often may help to reduce the transmission of the virus to the other people in the house.
The coronavirus is extremely vulnerable to soap, so the more you wash yourself and your clothes, the better off you’ll be.
5. Medical Supplies
In the unfortunate event that you contract coronavirus, it’s crucial to stay in contact with your doctor and visit the hospital if your symptoms start to worsen. However, most cases are easily managed at home during a 14-day quarantine with a few key supplies.
Having a thermometer around will help you gauge your body temperature. A pulse oximeter attaches to your finger and measures your heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Fever and a drop in lung function are both signs of a worsening COVID case.
As far as medication, you can ease your symptoms with OTC meds like Tylenol or acetaminophen and cough drops.
It Goes Beyond Supplies
Having a kit of emergency supplies will definitely help you stay safe during the pandemic, but along with that is having the right attitude.
One of the reasons the pandemic has lasted so long and keeps hitting new grim milestones is that not everyone treats it with the same sense of urgency.
It seems to be that it’s not until it affects you that you can get an accurate picture of how deadly and scary this can be.
Wearing a Mask and Sanitizing in Mandatory
Wearing a mask and sanitizing can only take you so far if you’re constantly putting yourself and others in harm’s way. Maintaining social distancing and following the rules laid out for us by the leading scientists in the world should be enough to help us beat the virus, but not everyone has complied.
If you can work from home, avoid unnecessary trips out, and maintain a small social bubble, then do it. When you need to go out, follow the guide that your local authorities have given you. We’ll only get these numbers down if we use our emergency supplies properly and listen to the experts.
We Can Fight This Thing Together
One day, COVID-19 will be in our rearview mirror, but not without a devastating trail of sickness and death. If you don’t already have them, it’s time to get your emergency supplies for pandemic life before it’s too late.
2020 has been a stark reminder that humans aren’t invincible, but taking the proper precautions will help to eradicate this virus sooner than later.
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