By Everything Lifestyle Staff

Cold and flu season

Stock Your Home with These Essentials Before You Get Sick

Nov 26, 2024 | 5:31 PM

Be prepared by having these things at home, in case you or a family member needs them.

During the winter, contagious viruses like the cold, flu, RSV, norovirus and Covid-19 tend to peak. You may not have an opportunity to run to the store if you’re the one who is ill or if you’re taking care of whoever is sick, so it’s a good idea to stock up on supplies, medication and food before a bug strikes. This leaves you more prepared to provide comfort and symptom relief quickly.

The following items are helpful to have on hand in case you or a family member gets sick.

Basic essentials:

• Thermometer – Whether you prefer digital or analog models, this is an easy way to tell if someone has a fever.
• Tissues – You can’t have enough of these around during the winter when sniffles and sneezes need to be contained.
• Humidifier – Making the air you breathe moist may ease congestion and other symptoms of respiratory viruses.
• Hand soap or sanitizer – The best way to avoid passing illness from person to person is to wash hands thoroughly and often.
• Household cleaners/disinfectant – When illness strikes, spraying down surfaces can remove germs that linger and make others sick.
• Masks – Wearing masks may help lower the spread of contagious viruses.
• Covid tests – Home tests can indicate if someone has this virus.
• Pulse oximeter – This device indicates if a person’s blood oxygen level is low or dropping, which is useful information if someone has a severe cough, congestion or difficulty breathing.

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Medications:

• Medications to treat pain and fever – Drugs like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) bring down fever, treat headaches and ease other aches and pains.
• Cold medicines, like antihistamines and decongestants – Some of these medications treat specific symptoms while others offer multi-symptom relief. If you use a multi-symptom drug, make sure you’re not doubling up on medication (like taking Tylenol along with a multi-symptom cold medication that also has acetaminophen in it). Talk to your doctor about whether you should avoid certain medications if you have health conditions or take prescription drugs.
• Cough medicines, such as cough suppressants and expectorants – These help ease coughing and break up mucus. You may also want to keep throat lozenges, drops or sprays on hand to relieve sore, irritated or scratchy throats.
• Medicines that treat gastrointestinal issues – Drugs like Immodium or Pepto Bismol may help if you have diarrhea, nausea and other digestive symptoms.

Food and drinks:

• Liquids that keep you hydrated – It’s important to stay well-hydrated when you’re sick, especially if you have a fever, are vomiting, have diarrhea or aren’t eating much. In addition to water, sports drinks, decaffeinated tea, juice, soup and broth are good options for hydration (but don’t drink too much sugar).
• Foods that are bland and well-tolerated – Keep foods on hand that are less likely to cause stomach upset, such as crackers, bread, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt and eggs.

Although it’s helpful to have these items in your house in case illness strikes, be sure to check expiration dates before using any medication or food. Being prepared to treat illness is ideal, but don’t buy too much medication or food if you don’t think you’ll use it before it expires.

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_{Medical Review: Perry Pitkow, MD}