Prepare for a Second Wave of COVID-19

This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

In many areas, face masks are mandated when out in public places. When I went grocery shopping, I’d say only 50% wore masks, and even fewer were social distancing. I also see a lot of people pull their masks down as soon as they start talking to someone. Technically, they can say they are wearing a mask, and they don’t care if they use it improperly. It seems people are starting to take things for granted in their desire for things to get back to normal.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 in still very much around.  Many states are reporting increasing numbers of coronavirus cases. Some would argue we are still in the first wave of coronavirus, though experts have warned a second wave may occur as the weather cools.

Think about what worked and what was missing when you were on lockdown.  As supplies are becoming more available, now is a good time to assess where you are in your emergency supplies so you can be prepared in case there is a second wave.

Review and replenish

Do a quick check of what you have stored at home.

What supplies did you use up while you were on lockdown or quarantine? Are you low on staples such as rice, pasta, sugar, flour, yeast, etc.?

Do you have antibacterial wipes, sanitizing spray, hand sanitizer? Don’t forget masks and gloves.

How is your toilet paper supply? Those empty toilet paper shelves are fresh in everyone’s mind, you would not want to run out of this essential item.

If you notice any items running low, add it to your shopping list this week. This way you know you will not run low in case another shortage occurs.

Buy small amounts each week

· When you prepare by buying small amounts each week, you do not need to go panic buying or hoarding because you already have a small supply built up. Buy small amounts of items you already need and use each week and you will soon have a good stockpile.  Pickup just one of the following each time you visit the store (include your frequently used items :

• canned food
• rice
• beans
• pasta
• toilet paper
• bleach and other cleaning supplies
• baking supplies such as flour, yeast

If you lack space, aim for at least a month’s worth of food and supplies.

Track your usage

Start tracking your usage of basic supplies, like toilet paper, shampoo, dish-washing liquid etc. and make sure you have enough for a month.

Learn product substitutes

During the lockdown, we occasionally ran out of items and had to wait until the next shopping trip to restock. It was a good opportunity to also find product substitutes.

Check your first aid kit

Is your first aid kit fully stocked or did you use up certain over the counter medicines?  Now is the time to replenish what you used up, or add supplies to your first aid kit.

Include an extra month’s worth of prescription medicines such as birth control pills, diabetes supplies, asthma inhalers, etc.  You should also include vitamins and supplements that you normally use.

Get your health check ups

I was due for an eye appointment but was unable to make an appointment during the lockdown. Now the optometrist is seeing patients again and we had everyone in the family get their eyes checked.  If you put off your annual physical, dental or vision appointments, see if you can safely visit your health care professional.

Cold weather clothing

Do you have enough cold weather clothing and shoes? See if you or anyone in your family is missing anything, such as winter gloves, wool socks, boots, etc.

If you shop at thrift stores, check reopenings and new hours. I made the mistake of showing up at a place I frequented only to find they were closed. Now I call first.  Many establishments still have reduced hours these days and you don’t want to waste a trip so check first.

Make repairs or request a maintenance visit

If your home or apartment needs any repairs, take care of fixing things up or call your maintenance crew.

Entertainment and comfort items

If there is another quarantine, you’ll want to be prepared with activities to occupy your time. Bugging in can be a challenge if you are not prepared. Plan now and acquire items to help entertain you and the family.  Books, crafting projects, board games, music, journals are all possible choices depending on your family’s preferences.

Safety and defense

How safe is your area?  In many cities, there is talk of defunding the police department. Think about what will happen if this comes to pass.  You might want to consider making your doors and windows more secure.

You should also have a way to defend yourself.  Whether it’s lethal or non-lethal, you must know how to use it and always pay attention to safety. 

Also consider legal protection should you have to use your weapon.

The final word

I know it’s stressful enough that we are still in the first wave and there is already a possibility of a second one. If we are lucky and the curve continues to flatten and nothing happens, then we lose nothing by preparing. Your basic supplies will see you through other emergencies such as natural disasters or a personal financial crisis.  Keep aware of the latest developments and stay safe!

 

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About the author:

Bernie Carr is the founder of Apartment Prepper. She has written several books including the best-selling Prepper’s Pocket Guide, Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure, The Penny-Pinching Prepper and How to Prepare for Most Emergencies on a $50 a Month Budget. Her work appears in sites such as the Allstate Blog and Clark.com, as well as print magazines such as Backwoods Survival Guide and Prepper Survival Guide. She has been featured in national publications such as Fox Business and Popular Mechanics. Learn more about Bernie here.

 

 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay