Anyone getting nervous with everything going on with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) It’s on everyone’s mind and it should be.
Here’s what we know. . . Coronavirus has officially become a pandemic as of today. It’s spreading at alarming rates. Like most, a few weeks or months ago I brushed this aside. I thought nothing of this. My husband, Alex, kept reading about it and pushing the information in front of me, making me very aware of the ramifications of the virus spreading worldwide. Each day, new information came to light, new cases found, new crazy stories have come to light. Each time I kept thinking no way it will make it to the United States, until it had.
The Letdown . . .
So we started stocking up at least a month ago. If you have not stocked up on food, toiletries, wine, pet food, etc. I would highly suggest doing so as soon now.
We didn’t use a specific equation on figuring out how much we should have on hand. We just bought and bought and bought. We likely had to buy more than most since we moved and never stocked up on our pantry.
What to Get–
Food:
- Canned beans: all different types, flavors, etc.
- Canned veggies
- Pasta: All different types of pasta.
- White Rice: 20-25lbs in 5 pound bags so we an easily open and store easily
- Beef: frozen
- Chicken breast: frozen
- Sausages/ hot dogs
- Sandwich bread in fridge to stay mold-free longer
- Hot dog buns kept in fridge to stay mold-free longer
- Pizza dough: both ready to go in the fridge and the instant pizza dough where you just add water
- Cheeses: String and sliced
- Pepperoni
- Marinara Sauce
- Tuna
- Canned grilled chicken
- Frozen chicken breast
- Condiments your family uses
- Soup
- Ramen
- Mac & Cheese
- Eggs — Costco Size
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
Snacks:
- Apple Sauce
- Cheese-its
- Granola Bars
- Pop-corn
- String cheese
- Animal crackers
Pantry:
- Dish and hand soap
- Hand sanitizer
- Hard to find, but look for it in odd places, like Michael’s Crafts. I found travel sized ones near check-out. They were fully stocked.
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Tampons
- Diapers/ wipes
- Baking needs (snack and a good activity)
- Cooking oil
- Coffee
Other:
- Pet Food: Dry and wet
- Litter for cats
- Wine/all liquor . . .let’s be honest
- Art projects, crafts, etc.
- Board and card games
- Brita or other water filter system — no need for bottled water if you have this
- Tissues
- Batteries
On top of stocking up on food, make sure to wash your hands for 20 seconds each time. Best way to know if it’s long enough you can sing Happy Birthday 2 times — that is generally 20 seconds.
Don’t touch your face.
I don’t know about you, but since this all has come to light, I realized I don’t stop touching my FACE all day long.
Oh the letdown . . .
And on top of touching my face 18,674 a day, my nose is always itchy. Something I never realized until I could not itch it.
So this is what I am trying to do to stop touching my face:
- Sit on my hands
- If I must touch my face, it’s always do or die, I use a tissue to do so.
- I leave notes around and pop-up calendar messages to remind myself not to touch my face
- Above all, I have been washing my hands more than I ever thought possible
- Of course, with washing your hands so often, your hands become dry. I found Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil with Aloe has been working wonders on my hands.
Drink lots of water. Drinking water always helps with a virus. Water will help flush it out.
Take off your clothes and shoes by your front door to keep the germs out of your living space. If you have a washing machine, put a load in — right away to keep your clothes and surfaces germ free.
As of now, public schools in Los Angeles are still open but all after school activities have been canceled. It’s a matter of time before our schools will be closed. Are you local schools closed? What measures are your local schools taking to keep everyone safe?
Have you prepared? I am surprised for the first time we are ahead of the curve. This has never happened before. Stores near us have many empty shelves. I wonder how long it will take for them to be refilled.
Markdowns and Letdowns 