They sky may not be falling, but our hopes of not being affected by coronavirus have all but diminished. Now that the virus has made its way across the oceans and reached our coastline states, we will all likely be participating in some type of “state of emergency” declarations or containment measures resulting in mass closures of our every day conveniences.
If we learn anything from countries in the thick of the outbreaks, it’s that we’re seeing two forms of isolation:
- government mandated quarantines
- intelligent, self-isolation decisions
By now, I think we all know to stock up on shelf-stable products like canned goods and pasta. If you don’t know, we’ve included affiliate links to some Under-Rated products you can have shipped right to your door to help fill in the gaps and provide you with some fresh food availability.
Under-Rated Items to Have on Hand
Stable Protein Drinks Like Ensure or Boost
Rapid Hydration Products (in case someone falls ill)
Freeze-Dried Meal Pouches (really handy for unskilled meal makers)
FRESH food Deliveries
And, for those of you who want to keep your family eating fresh fruits and vegetables, now is a great time to have produce delivered straight to your door. There are several options out there!
We are very happy members of Misfits Market (link to check out Misfits Market). They ship Non-GMO, Certified Organic, produce to your door either weekly or every 2 weeks (your choice). If this sounds like something you would enjoy, we invite you to use our friends code at checkout. This code: COOKWME-EX1OBD entitles you to either a discount off your first box, or a very special bonus gift. (Please note: The digit after the 1 in our savings code is the letter O, not a zero). Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Food deliveries aside, we began asking our friends and family what they’d think, if they were told right now, you can’t leave your house for 2 weeks or more. Seriously, what would you be freaking out about NOT having on hand?
Quarantine Food for Thought
What was most revealing about everyone’s answers is that; beyond the essential needs of food and water (which most of us prepare for), everyone has a set of stressors that have nothing to do with our ability to eat or drink.
It definitely opened our eyes to how accustomed we are to modern conveniences and being able to buy whatever we want, and go wherever we want, whenever we want.
Anyway, we thought we’d share some of our answers and ask you to ask yourself the same question:
If you were told right now that you were not allowed to leave your home until further notice (assume 14 days or longer) what would worry you most?
Debbie
#1 Stressor – My mom lives alone and so I’d be really upset that I couldn’t just stop in whenever I wanted. She’s a war survivor and so I’m not worried about her having enough to eat or drink, believe me, she could probably out last us all. But just the inability to access her would be my number one stressor.
As for my own household, I’m the type of shopper that buys my cat food a little at a time. So, my cat would be out of food after the first week and he’s nasty when he doesn’t get his “normal” food. And, now that I think about it, I don’t even have enough litter and my dog is already overdue for a bath.
Then, I’d wish I’d bought some paint or closet organizers or something to help pass the time in a productive way. I have so many projects that begin with the phrase “if I only had the time.”
Takeaways
- Teach people who live alone how to use facetime or some other visual way of checking in (webcams, skype, etc.,)
- Remember pets. Not just their food, but their hygiene If you cannot get to a store, places like CHEWY.com (link to pet products) deliver pet food and even cat litter right to your door! No need to venture outside.
- Think about projects you wish you had the time for. Get the supplies in case you are stuck inside with nothing but time.
DeeDee
#1 Stressor – My dog goes to physical therapy twice per week to improve his walking. I don’t know what missing 2 weeks or more would do to his legs. I don’t have a water treadmill, but maybe I should learn how to Rock Tape him at home. It definitely provides him relief.
I also manage properties and wonder what will happen when emergency repairs pop up? Clogged sewers, water line breaks, furnace issues? I have no idea how mandatory quarantine vs. legal responsibilities would play out.
As for supplies, I bought my hand sanitizer and disinfectants early and I since I often work in nasty environments in my profession, I have some respirators. But, if I were on day 6 of quarantine, I’d be out of coffee and I’m already squeezing the sides of my toothpaste tube and have no backup. I never really think about not having the ability to stop into a grocery store. Sounds insignificant but I’d be so out of it without at least one cup of coffee per day.
As for the boredom factor. I wouldn’t be bored at all. I have a stockpile of books to read and if I got through them all, I’d address my nightmare of an attic.
Takeaways
- Consult your vet if you have a pet with special needs. What can you do at home if your pet couldn’t stop in for a treatment?
- If you manage tenants, prepare a response now
- Remember the simple things….like coffee and toothpaste
Kenny –
#1 Stressor – I share custody of my grandkids so if they weren’t able to make it back to me I’d be highly stressed out. If they were with me the whole time, it would be fine…at least from my perspective.
As for the insignificant things, I am completely out of trash bags. Yup, used a plastic shopping bag this morning for my egg shells and I would be s.o.l. in the garbage department. I’m also on my last dribbles of laundry detergent. Wow, crazy thoughts, but not life threatening. I have plenty of dry foods and stuff to drink for everyone. It would probably just start to stink around here!
Takeaways
- Shared custody? Make sure both homes are stocked and ready.
- Remember little creature comforts like garbage bags and laundry detergent.
Summary
This is just a snippet of what was revealed in our little circle and we encourage you to think about it and talk about it with loved ones. The obvious stuff is, well; obvious (stocked pantry, extra water, medicines, toilet tissue).
The not-so-obvious stuff, like face-to-face conversations with loved ones or even having a backup plan for kids is definitely worth spending some time to have a discussion.
Preparedness is more than food, water, and medicine and we encourage everyone to start the dialogue and come up with solutions that solve your totally unique stressors before they occur. And if everything blows over and your community sees zero impact of coronavirus, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be sorry for having been prepared.
March 16th 2020 Update: Our team at WhatKillsIt.com lives in Western NY (over 6 hours away from NY City) and everything that attracts mass populations is closed. Schools, churches, gyms, casinos-CLOSED. Grocery stores shelves are empty. Restaurants are closed to dining (take-out only).
Our Covid-19 Symptoms Instructions are to STAY HOME, call our primary doctor or an urgent care center. They, in turn, will facilitate when and where Covid-19 testing would take place. We are told NOT to go to ER rooms unless symptoms require emergency attention.
This is just an FYI for those of you visiting our site from other areas. If you live in an area with no Covid-19 cases, we also had no cases until two days ago. Things happen fast. Calmly prepare, remember your neighbors and people who are not mobile. Help each other out. Prepare…don’t hoard!
March 28, 2020 UPDATE – Everything is still shut down. All of our construction street signs say “STAY HOME.” Our County Executive, Mark Poloncarz, address citizens daily at 3pm and has deemed NO PLACE IS SAFE. Every possible place you can think of has seen a covid-19 infected person. At night, he plays his guitar for us (link to youtube). At first, it seemed kinda corny, but after about 30 seconds you realize: it’s the pure definition of BUFFALOVE!
Anyway, if you live somewhere where covid-19 has not yet arrived and wondering what it’s like, you might benefit from listening to a covid-19 update from our county executive: link to Covid-19 facebook page.
Stay well everyone!
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