All you need for isolating you and your family

Preparation is key

Self-isolating at home can be self-imposed, ordered or necessitated in the event one suspects they have contracted an illness and are at risk of spreading it to others. Regardless of the reason as to why might be shuttered in at home, it is wise to be prepared and have all the necessities you require at home. Additionally, if you've come down ill, you may find yourself not having the energy or ability to go out and buy the things you need.

The British Government has released quite a bit of helpful information and guidance about self-isolating and how best to look after well-being whilst at home. Regardless of whether staying at home is caused by widespread illness or catastrophes such as electrical power outages, lack of water, strong storms etc., it never hurts to prepare in advance.

What a crisis package should contain

It's always a great idea to have water jugs, matches, a sleeping bag, heat source and camping cooker at the ready as a precaution in the event anything should go wrong.

If widespread flu or illness is the cause of staying at home, there likely isn't much need to be concerned about the availability of fresh wahter or electricity. However, it is important to ensure you have sufficient food at home, ideally, enough to not have to go out and re-fill your freezer or pantry for several weeks.

Be sure to have healthy and nourishing foods

How much food you need to have at home of course depends on how many people their in your household and their individual nutritional needs, as well as medicines and the like. As a general rule of thumb, you should always be prepared with at least 3 days worth of food and provisions in your household in the event a crisis should occur. Items with long shelf-life are usually safe bets so things like canned or dried foods are good things to stock your pantry with and they are usually fairly nourishing as well.

A shopping list for home-isolation

Food

Store dry foods in an area that is cool and dry. Be sure to also rotate the items you consume, so that they don't go beyond their expiration date waiting to be consumed.

• Dry foods, like rice, pasta, noodles, powdered mash
• To make fresh bread at home, you'll need to have flour, dry yeast and some olive-oil
• Pantry items, like biscuits, crackers, peanut-butter, hot cocoa powder, oats
• Canned goods, such as soups, corn, fruit or beans
• Ready made pasta sauces or other sauces that can be stored in glass containers
• Flavouring items like marmalade, jams, juice concentrates, spices, dried herbs
• Frozen meat products such as ground beef, sausages, chicken or other sources of protein
• Liquids: tea, coffee, condensed milk
• Misc: snacks, chips, chocolates, sweets

Medical Products

If the healthcare system is at full capacity and only prioritising the most gravely ill patients, it's important to ensure your medicine cupboard has what you need to help you deal with small injuries or symptoms of illness.

• Fever-reducer - always remember that dosages are different for children, always contact a licensed physician if you are unsure
• Electrolyte solution - always remember that dosages are different for children, always contact a licensed physician if you are unsure
• A fever thermometer
• If you take any prescription medications, be sure to have a stock of all the medicines you take beforehand
• Ensure your home has a stable stock hand soap and sanitiser
• A first aid kit for minor injuries, wounds or illness, to help you avoid going to the hospital unless a medical emergency arises.

Children and animals

Don't forget the smallest members of the family, make sure you have enough of the following items at home.

• Baby food / milk formula
• Nappies
• Pet food
• Cat litter

More tips and advice on how to protect yourself from illness

In order to make it easier for you to find great content on the theme of protection from illnesses, we've created a collection page for all of the related stories and content we've made on this topic. The page is updated on an on-going basis and here we'll gather guides and tips we hope will be of use and helpful to you in these flu-ridden times.

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