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Your COVID-19 Preparedness Kit

September 27, 2020

September 18, 2020 | by Susan McDonald

COVID-19 largely took the nation by surprise the first time, but as we ready for a possible second wave this fall and winter, it's time to channel our inner Boy Scout and be prepared.

Planning for any emergency the pandemic might have for us, especially quarantine if someone in the household is exposed to the potentially deadly virus, is especially appropriate in September, which is National Preparedness Month.

To be ready for any emergency, including COVID-19, the first step is having a plan and to be nimble enough to flex that plan with a situation's specific circumstances. For example, not all emergencies require us to hunker down. Recent wildfires and hurricane-related flooding sent people fleeing their homes for safer locations. For those times, your emergency plan should address how you will stay up on the latest emergency announcements, where you will go if you need to evacuate, the route you will take to get there if needed, and how you will communicate with other family members. Include a list of important phone numbers and addresses.

For quarantine as a result of COVID-19, your emergency preparedness kit will keep you safe and sustained while you stay safely in the house. Make sure to address the personal needs of all household members and pets.

Because you're isolating and not struggling without electricity as you would in a post-storm emergency, COVID-era kits should focus on different needs and contain:

� Hand sanitizer and hand soap.

� Masks.

� Cleaning items such as disinfecting wipes. With a nationwide shortage after wave one, the federal Environmental Protection Agency recently approved the use of Pine Sol for cleaning surfaces. Testing in a third-party laboratory revealed that the product effectively kills the virus on hard, non-porous surfaces.

� Toilet paper and other necessary hygiene items.

� Medication, specifically those to help with COVID-19 such as fever-reducers and anything for flu-like symptoms.

� Thermometer for monitoring any COVID-19 symptoms.

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