How to Prepare and Not Panic for the Coronavirus

Content from Being Summer Shores is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.  The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. 

Anyone else starting to feel like the news is getting a little bit out of hand with information about the Coronavirus? Honestly, I am already sick of all the viral articles I keep seeing on social media with inconsistent information. No matter which side you are on about this issue, it doesn’t hurt to prepare for a crisis such as COVID-19. Schools are starting to close down for the rest of the month in the state we live in, so I’m trying to get ahead of the crowds at the grocery store. You also may be asking yourself, what can we do besides stock up on wine? 🤪 Keep reading for how our family is preparing for a possible quarantine. 

BUILDING IMMUNE SYSTEM

Regardless if you believe the Corona Virus is a big deal or not, we should all be focusing on building our immune systems anyway since it's flu season. Getting more sleep, staying active, taking immune-boosting supplements like probiotics and vitamins, eating more gut-healthy food, and drinking plenty of water are all ways to prevent from any virus that may come your way. Most importantly, try not to stress or worry! Stress can kill your immune system, so just remember to take this one step at a time, focusing on what you can do to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy.

CLEANING ALL SURFACES

This week, we sent Aimery to his grandparents house so Ben and I could do a deep cleaning of our home. Since I run my business from home and constantly have people coming in and out, it’s especially important for us to make sure our home is clean around this time of year. We washed all of our sheets and linens and sprayed down all light switch covers, surfaces, remote controls, doorknobs, etc. Some other things to consider cleaning: your phone, laptop, books, glasses, purse handles, wallets, anything you touch or use in public. We also placed hand sanitizers at the entrance of our home and we all wash your hands immediately after running errands. If you don’t have time to clean, consider having a one-time professional cleaning done. 

STOCKING UP ON FOOD AND HOME PRODUCTS

I was shocked by a recent poll on my Instagram stories, only 17% of my followers are stocking up just in case. Here are three reasons why we spent over $500 this week at Sam’s Club:
1. Our family eats fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat on a daily basis. The food we have on hand only lasts us up to 5 days at any given time. We had ZERO canned foods, so we needed to stock up in general!
2. Have you seen the photos of local grocery stores being sold out of everything? Don’t even try buying toilet paper or hand sanitizer, they are sold out everywhere!
3. With everyone panic buying, who knows how long it may take for stores to restock? It’s always good to have emergency food (regardless of the Coronavirus) on hand!

If you are looking to stock up on food but don’t know where to start, I recommend coming up with three simple meals and a few snacks (especially if you have kids) to make it simple. Then times the number of people and ingredients by 2-4 weeks. We chose to stock up on canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and sauce, frozen meats, protein bars, and chips and salsa. If you have kids, consider stocking up on a month's worth of diapers, baby wipes, formula, medications, supplements, and baby food. Other things to consider are pet food, over the counter and prescription medications, laundry detergent, and batteries. 

Although I hope that Corona will just go away, it’s possible that it may get worse before it gets better. I sincerely hope these ideas help you and those you love to stay healthy and safe.  I would love to hear any of your thoughts, so please leave them in the comments!