Are You Prepared?

From the Desk of Clearissa Coward’s Command Center – Party

Are You Prepared?

A Cozy Lifestyle with Clearissa Coward

Everywhere you turn it is the topic of conversation and the motive for many sleepless nights and much anxiety. We have all managed the flu but this coronavirus appears to be very difficult for many and deadly for some. When this virus first appeared on the radar, I expected it to be like SARS and other viruses that have come and gone but it has proven to be a force that has to be dealt with a bit differently and requires preparation. Are you prepared for the CORONA Virus?

I don’t know about you, but until the death toll and the number of cases continued to rise, I continued to live life as usual. But once I seriously paid attention, I realized, I was one of those at-risk individuals. I am at risk because I met all of the criteria. Not one or two, but all of them. And that is when I asked myself…are you prepared? And although I had some of the necessities in order, there were others I needed to put into place.

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• age
• chronic illness (severe asthmatic)
• compromised immune system

Furthermore, I was hospitalized in December and sick through January with pneumonia and sepsis. Yes…I was very sick and I am just getting back to feeling like myself. With all of that going on, I have decided to take COVID-19 seriously and to get prepared for the outbreak to last for a very long time. I have watched the news reports, as I am sure everyone has, and I decided to go to the CDC website to determine what I need to do in order to have a fighting chance to stay healthy.

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We began preparing about two weeks ago to get our household in order and this is what we have done to prepare.

• I made the appointment with my primary care physician for my annual physical (it is time) and to follow up on my recent experience with pneumonia.
• Checked to make sure I had enough asthma medication to last for 3 months
• Signed up for home delivery of my meds from the local drugstore in case the epidemic lasts longer
• Made sure we had over-the-counter medicines for both my husband and me just in case we needed to treat fevers, coughs and other early symptoms or if we just get a headache
• Made our grocery run to stock up for at least a month
  • can goods
  • frozen vegetables & fruit
  • juice
  • almond milk (longer shelf life)
  • eggs
  • butter
  • cereal
  • rice
  • grits
  • pasta
  • chicken
  • fish
  • ground beef (easy to make but the last resort I haven’t eaten red meat in 3 months)
  • fresh ham
  • turkey breast
  • snacks
  • onions & green, yellow and red pepper (cut up and frozen)
  • bottled water

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• Made a cleaning supply run
  • bleach
  • laundry detergent
  • fabric softner
  • Clorox wipes
  • hand sanitizer
  • hand sanitizer wipes
  • antibacterial hand soap
  • paper towels
  • bathroom tissue
  • Lysol spray
  • disposal gloves
  • white vinegar
  • trashbags
• Made a necessity run
  • toothpaste
  • mouthwash
  • body wash
  • deodorant
  • body oil
  • body lotion

I am so thankful that we began our readiness two weeks ago because at this point a lot of items on my list are out of stock. So do not wait too long to get prepared and luckily it is all stuff you can use even if we are blessed not to have a pandemic.

I have added the list of precautions from the CDC website below as well. But I took it a bit further because I am at risk. I work a regular 9 – 5 but the virus is in our county and community so I made the decision to work remotely and not go into the office. I am blessed to have the capability to work remotely and to have a great team and they are okay with my decision.

The CDC recommends the following everyday precautions to remain healthy (from the CDC Website):

• Take everyday precautions
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Take everyday preventive actions
    • Clean your hands often
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place. (I’m sorry but I’m not sure why we have to emphasize this. Folks should be washing their hands anyway. Especially after blowing their nose…ewww)
    • If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
    • To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
    • Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.
    • Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.
    • Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones)
    • Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
    • Avoid all non-essential travel including plane trips, and especially avoid embarking on cruise ships.
• If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, take extra measures to put distance between yourself and other people to further reduce your risk of being exposed to this new virus.
  • Stay home as much as possible.
    • Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks
• Have a plan for if you get sick:
  • Consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
  • Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.
  • Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick

Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs

• Pay attention for potential COVID-19 symptoms including, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.
• If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. In adults, emergency warning signs*:
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to arouse
  • Bluish lips or face

You can find this and other information on the CDC website. There is also a list of instructions for caregivers of someone with COVID-19 and it is a good list.

Please, prepare even if you are not considered at risk. You never know and it is always better to be safe than sorry. I hope and pray this passes soon and no one else will get sick or worse. That is my prayer. Did I leave something off the list?

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