Preparing for someone getting it in your house.

[Frangipanini]

A lot of us think we are prepared because we have our shopping in, are self isolating/ social distancing, have some parecetemol and are keeping our places very clean.

Apparently though, we should also be prepared for what will happen if one of us gets Coronavirus in our households. I was listening to the radio the other day and a doctor on there was telling us a little about what to do if your partner gets it. Also, I've seen notes on social media about collecting toiletries and other things for patients who have been admitted and not prepared for a stay in hospital.

Do you have a strategy for if someone gets it in your house? What steps can we take if one of us comes down with it? What steps can we take to minimise expose to it in our house for ourselves and DC?

We will play musical bedrooms, so that the ill person is in the room with an en suite.

Do you have a spare bedroom or an en-suite bedroom? We would put the infected person in our en-suite bedroom. Leave some supplies in there, such as paracetamol, water and some food.

Pack a hospital bag for each of you, just in case.
You need more paracetamol than you think.
Have plenty of hot drinks available as they really seem to help.

I plan on moving rooms if DH gets infected as master has an ensuite and a TV. DC can stay in their own rooms. I can leave medicine, drinks, food etc. at the door for him.

If I need to go into the room for any of them to help out, especially the DC, I have some homemade masks, unused plastic ponchos from a trip, gloves that I usually use to touch raw chicken and pork and ski goggles. I am thinking of using some thin plastic acetates as a visor if needed. There will be some quick DIY job with goggles and plastic.

Washing of clothes at very hot wash if anyone sick along with Dettol antibacterial wash I have. Everyone is just wearing their scruffs anyway.

Getting a hospital list together to follow if needed. Seen a few posts online regarding people going in with nothing to the hospital.

How much paracetamol do you think we need ofwarrren. Say per person?

I think people need to be made more away of what to do at home. I was surprised to hear from the radio 2 Doc that if someone comes down with it they probably won't have a strong dose as they will likely have picked up a weaker dose off a surface outside but once in a person it becomes more potent and person to person transmission is a stronger does and so if you catch it off someone directly it will be nasty. It's like viral loading. That's why you need to make sure you quarantine the person ill in the house.

From my own experience (9th day now), have a good working thermometer and a pulse oximeter to measure oxygen levels. Also Gaviscon for stomach acid reduction? Plenty of Lemsips/Paracetamol. Separate towels etc. My dh leaves meals, drinks outside the bedroom door and collects the empty plates later with disposable gloves on.

I'm still wary of interacting even though the seven days have passed as my throat is very lumpy and sore. I can feel the virus is still there.

Things we've found helpful these last 2 weeks:

me: dual action cough sweets for my throat, honey and lemon to make drinks. Thermometer
baby DS2: saline drops for nose.

I'm feeling better now but there were a few days I wondered if we needed to get DS2 formula in case I ended up in hospital (he's ebf)

2 bedroom flat, DS1 had it first, then me and DS2 . I slept with the children and Dh slept on the sofa and never got ill.

We will play musical bedrooms, so that the ill person is in the room with an en suite.

Yep. Us too. It'll be a bit awkward but do-able.

Only a sofa bed, no spare bed rooms

I've just been ill but not covid.

I think for me the biggest issue would be for both dh and I to be struck down so having accessible food and drink for the dc. Make sure you toaster is totally clear of burnt bits etc...

I've recently been ill with pneumonia (but obviously wasn't tested so don't know for sure it was caused by CV).

We had prepared just in case (small house, big family so no spare bedroom or en-suite) so had piles of separate towels, sprays and cloths in each room, food and drink you could easily eat in bed - but it all went a bit tits up anyway because in the end I was too poorly to even get out of the bed, let alone to the bathroom, myself.

So we found it's a bit tricky to stay six feet away from someone when they are saying "just put your arm around my neck, I'll lift you up..." My DH has long arms but not that long All joking aside it was quite awful especially as I so worried about passing it on. We think DH may have had a very mild case and the DCs seem fine. (I have underlying health issues making me susceptible and which made it worse, so not wanting to be the voice of doom!)

In practical terms, what I didn't realise before was how much more clear liquid (squash etc) and ice lollies we should have had as that's all I wanted. Also the metal straws with a bend in as they are easier to drink propped up. Cold ice packs in the freezer, for drinks and foreheads. Thin cotton T shirts or nightdresses.

Mentally, I was fucking floored! Struggling to breathe to that extent is scary, and (despite previous experience of similar issues/lung probs) I panicked more than I thought, especially when we couldn't get through to 111 at one point. So the other thing I would recommend is a breathing app which helps calm you and doesn't make it worse. This really helped me.

I also think first aid should be taught as a matter of routine in schools, and to parents alongside antenatal classes. I fear the 999/111 system is going to become more and more overwhelmed and people need to have basic knowledge as I don't think we should rely on calls being answered or medical help arriving as swiftly as before and the government had already fucked this up before the current crisis

I actually think this is going to be a huge issue in the next weeks/months.

I really am a voice of doom today, sorry! I don't want to worry people but I think the government need to be honest and prepare people for situations like we had rather than going on about green shoots and mouthing soundbites.

Agree with @Lightsabre. I’ve just finished my isolation.

Plenty of paracetamol needed, I took cocodamol at bedtime as it helped me sleep. Lots of people on the Covid thread recommend taking paracetamol every 6 hours to keep on top of the pain.

Pulse oximeter has been a godsend as I can tell the difference between breathlessness because of a tight chest or if I’m genuinely not getting enough oxygen. It’s helped put my mind at rest.

Good thermometer.

Vicks or a vapour type product/ humidifier. The steam from a shower helped me loads. I added the baby’s Asda vapour bubble bath to the bottom of the shower which helped. I also like inhaling some Vicks when my chest feels sore.

I struggled with the lack of physical contact during isolation. Someone to hold your hand/hug. If you have a pet I’d recommend letting them sit with the ill person for a bit each day just to lift their mood.

Wish I had prepped more frozen meals to take the pressure off DH. He’s been left looking after a 19 month old and trying to cook the recipes I’d planned for the week.

I've been ill this week. Some CV symptoms, but without testing I don't know. It feels like I'm on the mend, but I know if it is the virus that it's a nasty bastard that likes to lull you into a false sense of security and come back in waves.

My son was skiiing in Italy at half term and had a fever 2 weeks ago so we'd been in SI. Can only assume it's from him

Symptoms will vary and can include sore throats, diarrhoea, mucus etc.

I've been Isolated in my room (happen to have en suite) but the following was needed:

• paracetomol, every 6 hrs
• water (if no en suite keep a jug of water by bed)
• thermometer (essential)
• throat sweets
• tissues
• heartburn tablets
• a bowl (if no bathroom)
• Chloraspetic spray for throat

My husband left drinks/food (soup, ice pops) at the door. I didn't have an appetite for 2 days though.

I realised I hadn't packed a hospital bag.
Petrol too.

My children weren't allowed near me. I'll stay confined for 7 days regardless.

Regarding pets, because of the stories about the possibility of cats being able to catch and transfer this, I don't allow my cats in with me.

Another one in the trenches who suggests:
Working thermometer and pulse oximeter (essential)
Plenty paracetamol
Cough sweets
Tissues
Something like olbas oil for unblocking things
Separate bedroom (and bathroom if you can manage it)

Face masks and disposable gloves for carers.
Bin bags so can bag up patient related waste.

And, oh yes, something to treat heartburn with.

WeBuilt that sounds scary. Hope you are ok now?

I agree about first aid. I have been thinking of taking an online course in case one of the kids has a minor injury during all this, along with obvious CPR etc.

OP, I did not take Ibuprofen. Only because of the 'stories' circulating from France that this could make matters worse.
Does anybody know if this has any validity?

Well DD had it, and fairly mildly and I must admit we weren't particularly obsessed about distancing/cleanliness.

She was in her own room, and we took drinks and meals up to her. I did go in her room and leave them on her desk, but still a few meters away from her bed. She shared the main bathroom with everyone else, but always hand sanitised before coming out of her room, and I cleaned the handles, taps and toilet twice a day.

She used two packets of paracetamol over 5 days.

By day five she came down for meals, but sat at the end of the table, and I cleaned it afterwards.

Never wore gloves or masks, handled her cups and plates etc, but always washed my hands afterwards.

None of the rest of us got ill. So, I suppose I was careful, but not over the top.

Cat spent all day every with her, and younger DD went in and kept her company, although kept distance.

Seems like we are were very relaxed compared to some.

I have mild symptoms, dh immediately went to sleep downstairs, he is leaving stuff at the door and when I use the family bathroom I'm cleaning it down afterwards. I've been waving at the children from the bedroom door and through the conservatory when I can get into the back garden by myself. Cats not allowed near me. I'm on day 2 and hating it. At least tomorrow I will have some work to do, I'm not fully myself but it's month end so I have accountant stuff to do.

I agree about being thirsty, I've got big bottles of sparkling water by the side of the bed.

Dh has some of the symptoms. This started on Saturday. He is sleeping in the spare room and mostly staying in there. We don’t have an en-suite.
To my mind though, we have been in the same house all the time, close, touching, sharing things.... he will have been infectious before he showed symptoms. So although I’m maintaining a bit of distance and being extra careful with hand washing I’m not really doing much else, the damage has surely already been done over the last few days.

Can I ask why all the heartburn remedy suggestions. Colleague and I had a bug the week before lockdown, our office worked from home earlier than lockdown.
Both of us had headaches, mild diarrhoea, nausea and heartburn, never thought for a moment it could be CV but you’ve all got me wondering. Lasted about 5 days.

The headache lingered for us both for almost a fortnight, I also had fluctuating temperature but am used to that 😂 hypothyroid and menopausal. Didnt feel feverish though at any point.

Dh and I are having the ‘where are all the documents’ discussion tonight in case anyone is taken to hospital. He doesnt know this yet but I feel its important.

To my mind though, we have been in the same house all the time, close, touching, sharing things.... he will have been infectious before he showed symptoms. So although I’m maintaining a bit of distance and being extra careful with hand washing I’m not really doing much else, the damage has surely already been done over the last few days

Paintforkitchen Exactly our thoughts.

I didn't do much apart from pour water down DH's throat ever couple of hours and make sure he was taking paracetamol. He didn't eat for 14 days so meals weren't a problem.

It's to do with viral load and the less contact, the milder the symptoms for the others.

Chris Whitty said that if one person gets it in the house, it is highly likely others will. If my husband doesn't get 'this' I will assume 'this' is not CV, but he could be asymptomatic so who knows?

Re heartburn. I was prescribed heartburn tablets by the GP previously, after a twin pregnancy seemed to alter my body permanently with heartburn (never had heartburn before) omazeropale? Sorry, can't recall name, but I find nothing to be as effective as over the counter Nexium.