Before you have to go into self isolation, here’s some resources…

So before I head off, I thought I’d share a couple of resources we’re going to be using to try and keep ourselves safe going forward. The first advice from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asking families to plan around their own vulnerabilities.

The main headings are as follows:

Talk with the people who need to be included in your plan. Meet with household members, other relatives, and friends to discuss what to do if a COVID-19 outbreak occurs in your community and what the needs of each person will be.

Plan ways to care for those who might be at greater risk for serious complications. There is limited information about who may be at risk for severe complications from COVID-19 illness Early data suggest older people are more likely to have serious COVID-19 illness. If you or your household members are at increased risk for COVID-19 complications, please consult with your health care provider.

Get to know your neighbours. Talk with your neighbours about emergency planning. If your neighbourhood has a website or social media page, consider joining it to maintain access to neighbors, information, and resources.

Identify aid organizations in your community. Create a list of local organizations that you and your household can contact in the event you need access to information, health care services, support, and resources. Consider including organizations that provide mental health or counseling services, food, and other supplies.

Create an emergency contact list.Ensure your household has a current list of emergency contacts for family, friends, neighbours, carpool drivers, health care providers, teachers, employers, the local public health department, and other community resources.

There are more suggestions on the site although the links are all US-based. Closer to home, MIND has a great checklist for those who find themselves having to go into self-isolation (crucial not simply survival, but taking the strain off the NHS)…

• Food: do you have a way to get food delivered?
• Cleaning: are your cleaning supplies stocked up?
• Money: can you budget for any higher bills or expenses? Will you save money from lower transport costs that you could spend elsewhere?
• Work: can you work from home or not? If not, what are your rights to payment or benefits?
• Medication: do you have enough medication, or a way to get more?
• Health: can you reorganise any planned therapy or treatments?
• Commitments: can someone else help you care for any dependents, walk your dog, or take care of any other commitments?
• Connectivity: have you checked the contact details of the people you see regularly, like their phone numbers or email addresses?
• Routine: can you create a routine or timetable for yourself? And if you live with other people, should you create a household schedule? Do you need to agree how the household will run with everyone at home all day?
• Exercise: is there any physical activity you can do inside your home, such as going up and down the stairs, using bean tins as weights, or exercises you can do in your chair?
• Nature: have you thought how you could access nature? Can you get some seeds and planting equipment, houseplants or living herbs?
• Entertainment: have you thought about things to do, books to read or TV shows to watch?
• Relax: have you got materials so you can do something creative, such as paper and colouring pencils?

 

Photo by Tumisu is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA