5 Steps to Make Sure You Are Prepared for COVID-19

To keep yourself and those you care about safe during this outbreak, make sure to follow these preventative and proactive steps!

1. Know the symptoms.
Symptoms of the Corona-virus include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and chest pain. If you or a family member have experienced any or all of these symptoms, it is recommended to stay home. By catching the symptoms early, you can help stop the spread of the virus.

2. Take preventative steps.
Frequent hand washing, social distancing, wearing a mask while in public, and not touching your face are four major ways you can keep yourself healthy. These are important factors in keeping yourself and those around you safe from the virus.

3. Prepare your home for illness.
Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, taking off masks and gloves worn outside, and making sure you have enough cough and cold suppressants are great ways to keep your home virus-free.

4. What do you do if someone in your home is sick?
After contacting your primary care physician and following their prescribed guidelines, some safety precautions you my take are keeping a safe distance from those infected as well as disinfecting and washing all items used by the sick resident.

5. Prepare a “grab-and-go” hospitalization kit for those at an increased risk of becoming sick.
For the elderly and immunocompromised, it is important to be prepared for immediate hospitalization as the symptoms of the virus can be life threatening. Packing a hospital bag that includes a journal of personal and medical information as well as any pre-existing medical conditions or medications taken can help medical services aid you more quickly.

For more information regarding COVID-19 in Massachusetts, feel free to contact your personal primary care physician or visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information. For any other information regarding COVID-19, you may refer to the Centers for Disease Control at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Written by Alex Kapantais