How to Prepare for Coronavirus

I am not the type of woman who is inclined to panic or overreact. However, after hearing the  recent update from the US Centres for Disease Control on the status of the coronavirus in the US and seeing the increasing number of cases in parts of America, I think it is wise to begin the process of preparing my household. 

What is coronavirus?

The world has seen other types of coronaviruses before. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) was a virus that scared the world in 2002 as it spread to 37 countries. Most coronaviruses seem to stem from some sort of animal-human contact. Covid-19 is the current strain of coronavirus which is causing global concern. The exact origin is unknown, but it is accepted that most of those initially infected either worked or shopped in the Huanan seafood wholesale market in the center of the Chinese city of Wuhan. 

What are the symptoms caused by Covid-19, the current coronavirus?

Covid-19 presents itself with flu-like symptoms which can include coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. The virus can develop into pneumonia, especially in those who are elderly or already ill in some way. 

If someone had told me a month ago that I would be preparing to stockpile groceries and house-hold essentials I would have told them that they were crazy! A month ago, America seemed very far away from the coronavirus epicenter in Wuhan, China. However, the virus is spreading globally at a rate that is concerning and now there are new cases being reported every day in Asia, Europe, Australia, and the US. I think one can be prepared without resorting to panic which the authorities are stressing is essential to maintaining calm. Right now, I am simply focused on being ready for possible isolation at home, if necessary. 

This week The US Centers for Disease Control admitted that “While there is still much to learn about the unfolding situations in California, Oregon, and Washington, preliminary information raises the level of concern about the immediate threat for COVID-19 for certain communities in the United States. The potential health threat posed by COVID-19 is very high to the United States and globally.”

If you are interested in preparing your house for a period of isolation, following is a list of basics that you would need for a period of approximately a month. 

A month’s worth of shelf-stable foods:

  • Basics: flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and butter.
  • Dried carbs: rice and pasta, and also cereals.
  • Canned foods: my personal recommendation is to try to include a range of proteins including garbanzo beans, black beans, peas, and tuna fish.
  • Frozen ground meats: I personally bought about 5-6 lb and separately packed and froze the meat in 0.5 lb bags.
  • Shelf-stable treats: for me, it is mainly chocolate and dried fruits 🙂
  • All kinds of nuts: almonds, pecans, brazil nuts, and cashews. Nuts are super healthy and have a very long shelf-life.
  • Frozen prepared meals: there are a number of meal delivery services that supply frozen prepared meals. A range of frozen meals could be quite handy when you are at home and in need of a warm, healthy and nutritious meal. My top recommendations are Factor75, Veestro or Balance by BistroMD.
  •  
  • Cleaning supplies: paper towels, toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, alcohol spray, laundry detergent, shampoo, soap and hair conditioner. 
  • Medicine: extra supplies of your normal prescription medication, cough medicine, vitamin C, antibiotics, and cold medicine
  • Entertainment for the whole family: since I have two young daughters, contemplating being in the house with them for weeks is crazy. So, I tried to think of as many entertainment options as possible. Here are some ideas:
  • Reading material for the entire family
  • Family games like Monopoly, cards, go fish, bingo or Zingo, Jenga, Guess Who, Uno, spot it and the memory game. The list is endless.
  • Stickers, crayons, markers, water colors and lots of white paper

Some ways to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection:

  • Don’t touch your face, especially your eyes, nose, or mouth.
  • Wash hands often with soap for 20 seconds.
  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid skin to skin contact such as handshaking and kissing people in greeting as much as possible. 

Currently, most of the USA population has very little immediate risk of exposure to Covid-19. The virus, as far as I know, based on what has been published by officials, is NOT currently spreading widely in the US. However, I think it is important to take into consideration that the current global and local circumstances suggest it is likely that this virus will cause a much wider effect. 

As we can read and hear in the news, this is a rapidly evolving situation. There are reports of new cases of the virus in LA and NY that have stemmed from human to human contact, rather than being exposed to the virus in a high-risk country. The risk assessment is being updated on a daily basis, so things can change. I personally believe that it is better to be safe than sorry, so preparing your household for possible isolation is no longer a crazy act, but rather simply sensible preparation. 

About the author

Amanda (Mandi)
Amanda is a meal kits addict and a blogger who reviews meal delivery services on a daily basis since 2015. Mandi leads the content review team at themealkitcomparison.com since 2018.
Share
Quick Navigation

More To Explore:

Chicken Tortilla Soup
10 Best Dinner Noom Recipes
vegan lifestyle
Benefits of a Vegan Diet
Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet
Vegetarian Diet: What Is It? Benefits, Diet Plan & More
hello fresh steak
HelloFresh Gluten-Free Meals 2023
hello fresh steak
HelloFresh Low Sodium Meals
Blue Apron Vegetarian meal
Blue Apron Vegetarian Menu Review
Vegan vs raw vegan
Vegan Vs Raw Vegan
Plant-Based Diet Benefits
Plant-Based Diet Benefits
Pescatarian Vs Paleo
Pescatarian Vs Paleo
Pescatarian vs Keto
Pescatarian Vs Keto: The Full Comparison
Vegan vs Pescatarian
Vegan vs Pescatarian: The Differences
freshly box to heat
Freshly Vs. Frozen Meals- Which is Better?
Vegetarian vs Pescatarian
Vegetarian Vs Pescatarian: What’s the Difference?
paleo vs keto
Paleo Vs Keto Diet
Hello Fresh
Best HelloFresh Alternatives
Blue Apron and Weight Watchers
Blue Apron and Weight Watchers Review
Parisian Steak Frites- blue apron
A Look at Blue Apron’s Keto and Low Carb Option
blue apron
Blue Apron VS Grocery Shopping: Are They Similar?
sun basket pesctarian
Sun Basket Pescatarian Menu Review
Hello Fresh - yellow squash flatbread
Best Hello Fresh Recipes Review 2023
large family meal kits
Best Meal Kits for Large Families
Sun Basket Meal
Sunbasket Lean & Clean Menu Review
Oven ready hello fresh
Hello Fresh Oven Ready Meals Review
BLUE APRON VS SUN BASKET- STEAK DISHES (1)
Blue Apron vs Sunbasket: Steak Dishes
Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service Miami
Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service Miami
Organic protein crunch salad
High Protein Dinner Options Using Meal Delivery Service
Sunbasket Fresh & Ready
Best Pre-Cooked Meal Delivery Service
Blue-Apron-Mediterranean-Diet meal kit
Top Meal Deliveries for Your Noom Diet Plan
Meal Delivery Services DC
Best Meal Delivery Services in Washington ,DC
oven ready hello fresh fish meal
HelloFresh Pescatarian Meal Plan Review 2023
home chef salmon
Home Chef Keto-Friendly and Low Carb Menu Review
Nutrisystem Diabetics Plan
Nutrisystem Diabetics Plan
best meal delivery NYC
Best Meal Delivery NYC
Best Meal Kits for Dinner
Best Meal Kits for Dinner
Best Meal Delivery Services In Pittsburgh 2022
Best Meal Delivery Services In Pittsburgh 2023
Best Meal Delivery Services in Utah 2022
Best Meal Delivery Services in Utah 2023
meal delivery in Austin, Texas
Best Meal Delivery Services In Austin 2023
Fresh Meal Kits - Hellofresh
The Best Fresh Meal Kits
meal delivery chicago
Best Meal Delivery Services In Chicago 2023 – Eat Better At Home
Mediterranean sun basket
Sun Basket Mediterranean Recipe Review
Green Chef Box
Green Chef Vegetarian Plan Review
Hello Fresh - yellow squash flatbread
Hello Fresh Meals For One Person
Best Meal Kits for Dinner Party
Best Meal Kits for Dinner Party
Hello Fresh Low Calories Plan Review
Atlanta
Best Meal Delivery Services In Atlanta 2023
Hello Fresh Ingredients
Hellofresh FAQs – All You Need to Know
Best Meal Delivery Services in Nashville:
Best Meal Delivery Services in Nashville: Eat Better At Home With Meal Prep Nashville Options
Hello Fresh
Hello Fresh Diabetes Meal Options
Every Plate Box
Best EveryPlate Alternatives
cancer patient meal kits
Meal Delivery for Cancer Patients
Blue Apron Box
Blue Apron Alternatives
Home chef express
Home Chef Express Meals Review
Home Chef pescatarian meal
Home Chef Pescatarian Meals Review
Blue Apron Box
A Review of Blue Apron Vegan Meal Menu
Sun Basket Diabetes-Friendly Meals
Sunbasket Diabetes-Friendly Plan Review
Home Chef - Snappy Steak & Guacamole Taco
Best Home Chef Recipes Review 2023
Blue Apron and Weight Watchers
Top 10 Blue Apron Easy Recipes Review
freshly
Review: Freshly for One Person
FRESHLY Review
Freshly Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Review
sunbasket prepared meals
Sun Basket Prepared Meals Review
blue apron box
Is Blue Apron Healthy? The New Blue Apron Wellness Plan
Little Spoon Plates Review
Little Spoon Plates Review – Is It Worth It?
blue apron Salmon
Blue Apron Meals for One Person
Green Chef Vegan and Vegetarian
Green Chef Vegan Menu
green chef new box
Review: Green Chef Paleo Menu
Hello Fresh Ingredients
Hello Fresh Whole30 Diet Options
Blue-Apron-Mediterranean-Diet meal kit
Blue Apron Mediterranean Diet Meals
Dinnerly low calorie options
Dinnerly Low-Calorie Menu
New moms meal delivery options
Best Meal Kits for New Moms
Dinnerly vegetarian meals reviews
Dinnerly for Vegetarians
hello fresh steak
What Are the Gluten-Free Diet Benefits
Beat Meal Kits for a High Protein Diet
Best Meal Kits for a High Protein Diet
Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups Sun basket soy free meal kit
Pros and Cons for Meal Kits
Fast Food Jack Burger Hello fresh
Best Meal Kits for Fast Food Fans
purple carrot look inside the box
Meal Kit FAQ: Everything You Need to Know
sun basket vegan
Sun Basket Vegan Meal Kits Review
Father’s Day meal kits
The Best Meal Kits for Father’s Day
The Best Meal Kits for the Memorial Day Long Weekend
meal kits for seniors
5 reasons seniors should try meal delivery services
mothers day meal kits
The Best Meal Kits for Mother’s Day
legacy food storage
Best Survival Food Kits to Stockpile
freshly
Best Alternatives for Freshly
dinnerly-meals
Dinnerly FAQ: Things to Know About Dinnerly Before Ordering
meal kits for quarantine days
Best Meal Kit Service to Order During Quarantine Days
dinnerly-meals
Best Meal Kit for $5
Coronavirus prep
How to Prepare for Coronavirus
HelloFresh for families
10 Things To Know About HelloFresh Before You Order
freshly
5 Things to Know About Freshly Before Your Order
Are Meal Kits Worth it?
Are Meal Kits Healthy?
Are meal kits worth it?
Are Meal Kits Worth It?
Sun Basket Meal kits
Best Meal Kits Online to Try Out
Nutrisystem basic plan for women weight loss
Nutrisystem Woman’s Plan: Review
Pizza_Margherita Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem Vegetarian Program
freshly boxes
Prepared meal delivery services for One Person
Are Meal Kits Worth it?
Meal Kits Industry Trends 2020
green chef delivery
How to Recycle Your Green Chef Box
Green Chef organic products
Green Chef Gluten-Free Plan Review
Veestro: Prepared Meal Delivery Review
Review: We Tried Veestro Meal Kits
Freshly Keto Friendly Meals
Freshly Keto Friendly Meals
Green Chef organic products
Green Chef Keto Meals
Veestro Box
Review: Veestro Weight Loss Plans
freshly boxes
Freshly Weight Loss Meals
Green Chef organic products
Review: Green Chef Organic Meals
Sun Basket Meal
Review: Sun Basket Keto Low Carb Plan
freshly boxes
We Tried Freshly Prepared Meal Delivery Service
Sun Basket Vegetarian- all organic products
Sun Basket Organic Meals: Review
everyplate review
We Tried EveryPlate Meal Kits
green chef delivery
We Tried Green Chef Meal Delivery
Hello fresh interior box
What is a Meal kit Delivery Service?
FRESHLY Review
What is a Prepared Meal Delivery Service?
Hello Fresh Dinner to Lunch Meal Review
Hello Fresh Vegetarian Plan Review
Home Chef Lunch Review
Home Chef Lunch Review
Hello Fresh Southwestern Spice Blend Recipes
Hello Fresh Southwestern Spice Blend Recipes
Hello Fresh Recycling
Hello Fresh Recycling
Hello Fresh Steak and Meat Meals
Best Hello Fresh Steak and Meat Meals
Creamy basil Hello fresh Gnocchi
Hello Fresh Gnocchi Meals
Hello Fresh Pork Meals
Hello Fresh Best Pork Meals
Hello Fresh Salmon meal kits
Hello Fresh Best Salmon and Seafood Meals
Hello Fresh Tacos and Quesadillas
Best Hello Fresh Tacos and Quesadillas
The Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
The Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
fresh-Salad-low-carb
Review: Hello Fresh Keto and Low Carb Plan
Hello Fresh
Hello Fresh Vegan Plan Review
Hello-Fresh-Chicken
Hello Fresh Chicken Meals Review
Home Chef Chicken
Home Chef Chicken Meals Review
home chef salmon
Home Chef Low Calories Meals Review
home chef keto plan
Home Chef Alternatives
Hello fresh for families
Hello Fresh for Families
home chef keto plan
Home Chef Low Carb Meal Kits
Sun Basket Vegetarian- all organic products
Sun Basket Vegetarian Plan Review
Home Chef Vegetarian Menu
Home Chef Vegetarian Menu Review
Sun Basket Paleo Steak Salad
Sun Basket Paleo Plan Review
Sun Basket Ingredients
What You Need to Know Before Ordering from Sun Basket
Green Chef Box
Green Chef FAQ- Popular Questions Before Ordering
blue apron Salmon
Green Chef vs Blue Apron: Salmon Showdown
Sun Basket Vegetarian vs Blue Apron Vegetarian
Sun Basket Vs Blue Apron Vegetarian Meal Kits
Sun Basket Vegetarian vs Home Chef Vegetarian
Sun Basket Vs Home Chef Vegetarian Plans
Sun Basket Vs Hello Fresh Vegetarian Meal Kits
Sun Basket Vs Hello Fresh Vegetarian Meal Kits
Sun Basket Vegetarian vs Green Chef Vegetarian (1)
Sun Basket Vegetarian vs Green Chef Vegetarian
Sun Basket vs Green Chef- Steak Salads
Sun Basket vs Green Chef: Steak Salads
Meal Kits Vs Prepared Meal Delivery Service
Meal Kits Vs Prepared Meal Delivery Service
Prepared Meal Delivery Vs Grocery Store
Prepared Meal Delivery Vs Grocery Store
Meal Kit Vs Grocery Store
Meal Kits Vs Grocery Store
Sun Basket vegan vs Green Chef vegan (1)
Sun Basket Vegan vs Green Chef Vegan
Sun Basket Paleo vs Green Chef Paleo (1)
Sun Basket Paleo Vs Green Chef Paleo
Benefits of a paleo Diet
Paleo Diet Benefits
organic food benefits
Benefits of Eating Organic Food
Vegan Vs Plant-based Diet
Vegan Vs Plant-based Diet
Pescatarian benefits
Pescatarian Diet Benefits
Ketogenic diet benefits
Benefits of a Keto Diet
Vegetarian vs vegan
What’s The Difference Between Vegetarian and Vegan Diet?
Get meal kit deals