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Shopping list

In addition to having approximately 2-4 weeks of essentials like groceries and other household supplies, here are some necessary and handy things to have if you are going to be taking care of someone with COVID-19. None of this is very expensive or requires special training to use.

If we included examples (generally on the German version of Amazon), this is not a buying recommendation and we are not making any money if you click that precise one (or any other). By showing you the example, we mean nothing more than "something like this." Use whatever online or retail channel you like to get something similar.

 

Must have

  • Fever thermometer (2-10 EUR/USD) (example)

    So important that you should probably check yours if it's been in the bathroom cabinet for ages. Is the battery still OK? It really doesn't hurt to have two, just in case. At 2-10 bucks, they make great gifts (and as they may be inserted anally to get a more precise measurement, they may not be items you want to loan to someone.)

  • Enough sheets, pillow casings, towels

    Stuff most everyone has in the home, but just to be sure: Once people get sick, you want to change the bed linens often, and you may use more towels also.

  • Cleaning supplies, bleach

  • Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen, Tylenol or Panadol)

    The fever supressant and painkiller of choice. Make sure you follow the packaging instructions and do not exceed the maximum recommended daily dose.

 

Nice to have

  • Pulse oxymeter (20-25 EUR/USD) (example) See note below!

    Little gadget that clips on your finger and shows the heart rate (which is also easy to measure in other ways) and the oxygen saturation in the blood (which is hard to measure any other way).

  • Blood pressure meter (20 EUR/USD or so) (example) See note below!

    There are simple tricks to see if someone's blood pressure is getting too low (see the main text on this site). However, it may be useful to be able to measure this more objectively, especially if you want to see/show a trend in the patient's blood pressure.
    However... What you should NOT do: You should not buy one of these, measure blood pressure, find something on the Internet that has a "normal range", and panic if your blood pressure is higher or lower. Lots of people have high or low blood pressure, and stress raises blood pressure (and heart rate). While an elevated blood pressure over a longer time may certainly be something you might want to mention to your doctor when you are there anyway, IT IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT YOU WANT TO BOTHER DOCTORS WITH IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC."

  • Incontinence / waterproof sheets (20 EUR/USD or so) (example or example)

    Sick people sometimes have accidents. You'll thank us.

  • Steam inhaler (25 EUR/USD or so) (example)

    Often sold as "face sauna" or whatever other names, they're just devices that output steam that is not too hot to breathe. Any other method that produces steam is also OK, just make sure you don't do damage with steam that's too hot. The device takes demineralized water (example), esp. in places where the tapwater is high in calcium. Warning: Warm, wet devices are excellent means of spreading the virus around. Probably use for one sick person at a time or at least clean meticulously.

  • Vitamins (a few EUR/USD) (example)

    For when the patient doesn't eat (much) anymore but still drinks. Maybe take the big multi-vitamin pills that fizz into water, a couple of tubes of those. Try getting ones that contain roughly 1-2 times the daily recommended dose of all the vitamins and minerals they contain, no crazy 1000% megadoses.

Important Note

A note on the first two items: some medical professionals we talk to feel the non-medically trained will do more harm or good when they start taking SpO2 or blood pressure measurements. We include the devices here because they are in common use and we feel that in some places, during some periods, the health system is not going to be able to cope with the numbers of people falling ill, and we tip the balance towards the advantages in being able to see/show trends.

If you do decide you want to be able to measure blood pressure and SpO2, then at least properly familiarize yourself with the device. Practise! Also to get a good feel for what normal values in you and or your loved ones look like before anyone gets sick. Read our guidance on when and when not to seek help based on the information they provide.

 

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Shopping for PPE is more than a little tricky for several reasons.

First, this may all be new. You may not be familiar with what kinds of protection are needed in what situations. The World Health Organization has very helpful instructions on when to wear a mask and how to use masks. You should wear a mask only if you are ill with known or suspected COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath), and whenever you are in the same room with someone who is ill with known or suspected COVID-19. Keep your hands off your mask while you're wearing it and keep using good hand-washing practices. Make sure you read some advice and watch some videos on when and how to safely put on, use, and dispose of your PPE to make sure it really works to protect you and others. (This is especially true if you use a respirator rather than a mask: It is surprisingly hard to make sure your respirator has a proper fit.)

And then there's the fact that some people have been panic-buying and some companies have been price-gouging, making essential equipment like masks unavailable in some places even to doctors and nurses who really need them. If it's still early in the pandemic, your government may be providing masks to people who live with and/or care for people with COVID-19. The section here describes things that you could try to get if you need to be caring for other people.

So first and foremost, and we mean this: Listen to official advice on what not to buy so as to not make things unavailable to the doctors and nurses who need them the most. Policies and general practice with regard to masks are going to vary wildly accross the world for a while to come. Going outside with a mask or wearing one in regular daily life if you are healthy is not supported by the scientific evidence on staying well. If you have access to a mask, it probably makes sense to wear one if you feel a little ill or are coughing but absolutely_have_to go out. It also makes sense if you are taking care of someone who is sick. It is even mandatory in the COVID quarantine home care protocols in some countries. Check under what circumstances authorities will provide you with masks. See the main text about further things to think about when it comes to containing the spread of the virus as much as possible.

  • Medical mask, preferably N95 (a few EUR/USD)

    FFP2 or FFP3 respirators are also recommended. A regular face mask (surgical or procedural) is better than nothing if you cannot get a respirator. Note that the respirators come in version with and without a valve. The valve (often a round plastic thingy) lets out the exhaled air unfiltered. This is fine if you're spraypainting, and it may be fine if you are protecting a known healthy person from a known sick person, but under no circumstances should the sick wear a version with a valve.

  • Gown / raincoat (a few EUR/USD) (example)

    Best is if you can find a long-sleeved, water-resistant gown.

  • Gloves (less than a EUR/USD) (example)

  • Eye protection, goggles or face shield (a few EUR/USD) (example)