Buzz
You’ve probably seen images of the empty grocery store aisles and heard the unsettling stories from local warehouse clubs. It seems like everyone is preparing for quarantine by buying up almost everything.
You might already know not to pay exorbitant prices for a bottle of hand sanitizer or a pack of masks you don’t even need. But what exactly should you be buying as we wait to understand the full impact of the outbreak?
Don’t create a doomsday shelter
Prepare as you would for a blizzard or a hurricane, not as if you’re gearing up for the end of the world. While you may come across ads for doomsday-prepper kits (with hefty price tags), you don’t need to go that extreme to stay safe.
Whether you’re planning a deep cleaning at home or anticipating school or work closures for a few days, you don’t need much to be adequately prepared.
The key item you truly need
When I asked Roslyn Stone what we should be purchasing right now, she chuckled and said, “Soap and water!” She’s the COO at workplace health companies Zero Hour Health and Zedic and has become quite familiar with debunking coronavirus myths.
“There’s no need to hoard hand sanitizer,” she explained, since soap and water are readily available for the frequent handwashing we should be doing. You should only use hand sanitizer, Stone noted, when soap and water aren’t accessible.
“Soap and water are our best friends,” agreed Dr. Snehal Doshi, a neonatologist and CEO of Millennium Neonatology. “Disinfecting wipes or sprays for cleaning hard surfaces are also helpful. For instance, bring wipes with you and clean the handles of shopping carts before you use them.”
Masks are another thing to avoid, as we’ve pointed out before, but it's worth repeating. Unless you're sick or a healthcare worker, your face should be left uncovered. (Just be sure not to touch your face.)
Stick to buying items you typically use
When it comes to household supplies, be ready for a few extra days of home cooking—but don’t worry about your water or electricity going out. Over the weekend, Stone visited Costco and saw someone buying a pallet of bottled water. “There’s no need to stock up on bottled water,” she explained.
“Consider what you and your family might need to stay home for a week or more without leaving,” she advised.
“Stock up on non-perishable foods or items with a long shelf life that you’d need for two weeks,” Dr. Doshi advised. “Additionally, purchase the products you regularly use, so when the crisis is over, you won't have spent money on things you'll eventually toss.”
If cooking at home isn’t something you usually do, don’t forget to plan for meals you typically buy elsewhere. If your kids eat breakfast and lunch at school and you often rely on takeout during work hours, you’ll need to have options at home for those meals. Having a variety of easy-to-make foods will help when the fresh items in your fridge run out.
“Look for a variety of foods and condiments that can give you enough options for the week or two of staying in,” Doshi recommended. “And be sure to stock up on toiletries as well.”
