5 ways to prepare your home and family for coronavirus

1. Stock up on food and medications

Maybe you’ve already done this. Or maybe you think people stocking up on canned soup and bottled water are blowing things out of proportion. Here’s what the experts NPR spoke to said: stocking up on non-perishable food is a good idea… and could help prevent coronavirus from spreading. Why?

It allows for “social distancing,” a fancy term for avoiding areas with a lot of people. If the coronavirus becomes a bigger problem in your community, crowded grocery stores will be a high-risk place for picking up the virus. If you’re stocked up, you’re also prepared to stay home if you do get sick. That means you should get some of the foods and drinks you typically turn to when you’re sick, like chicken soup, broth, tea, crackers, bread, electrolyte drinks, etc.

If you take medications, you’ll also want to have a couple of weeks of supplies at home. You’ll probably have to get approval from your insurance company to do this. But given the serious nature of the coronavirus, it’s doubtful they’ll deny you. Fever reducers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen are something you should have on-hand as well, just in case.

Read: The top 3 ways to boost your immune system for cold and flu season