The Top 5 Things You Can Do Today to Prepare for Corona Virus
The outbreak of COVID-19 in the U.S. has created a whirlwind of rumor, fear, hoarding behavior, and hearsay that can be distracting from the truly beneficial steps you can take to prepare yourself and your family during the outbreak. Straight-forward action is the best way to navigate the uncertainty. We will be publishing a weekly blog post with some valuable steps and actions you can take to protect your health.
Keep surfaces in your home disinfected. Focus on frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets and sinks. Wear gloves and use household cleaners and disinfectants that are appropriate for the surface.
Wash your hands frequently using proper hand-washing technique. The five steps are wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry. The key times to wash hands are before, during, and after preparing food. Before eating. Before and after caring for someone who is sick. After using a rest room. After changing diapers or helping a child use the bathroom. After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. After touching garbage. After handling pet waste or food.
Prepare your pantry for less frequent trips to the store. Now is a great time to get a jump on spring cleaning, and go through your pantry to remove expired items and create room for fresh products. Plan two weeks worth of meals and get groceries to stock your pantry and freezer with the ingredients you will need.
Address your stress by following some of our Stress Strategies or by utilizing the free resources through your Employee Assistance program. Talking to a professional allows you to download worries and learn skills to cope with future curve balls.
Plan alternate entertainment. Events are getting canceled and people are staying home. This is an opportunity to really bond and connect with your family or spend time on yourself. Remember that book you've been longing to dive into? The photo album or crafting project you didn't get to this winter? Perhaps you have home improvement projects that have been driving you bonkers. This is a great time to do the things you've been wanting to do. If you have kids, plan some family activities that they will remember fondly later in life when they're grown.
Special note for people with diabetes. Chances are either you or someone you love has diabetes. In general, people with diabetes (PWD) are at greater risk of complications when dealing with viral infections like the flu. Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, now is the perfect time to dust off your sick day plan, check your medication supply, and make sure you either wear a medical ID or carry it with you. If you are a person who uses an insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) additional information on how to prepare can be found here. If you need individualized help or have questions, contact us and we will work through it together.
