Items for coping with Covid in the house

[Wildernesstips]

Currently have 2 adults in my house with Covid and I am so glad of my stash. Thought it would be useful to others to know the kind of things that were actually wanted/needed, as they aren’t always the kind of food I would think to prep (fairly bland nursery food):
Tissues
Cold and Flu tablets
Ricola cough drops
Fruit squash
Non fizzy Lucozade
Jelly
Soup
Super noodles
Vanilla ice cream
Tinned spaghetti with sausages

Feel free to add more.

I e lollies saved my thrust when I had covid! My throat was so sore with all the coughing and they really soothes it. I know they said not to drink cold drinks but boy did I need those ice lollies!
Soup was great and as I always batch cook things like chilli, bolognaise etc and freeze in single portions, my teens were able to eat healthily easily when I wasn't well.

Lemsips...we went through loads!!!

Paracetamol. 2 packets of painkillers in the delivery was not enough...

Plain biscuits and bread.

Runny honey, cammomile teabags and lemons.

I've got one of those oxygen monitors you put on your finger. I think it would come in handy if you're feeling especially bad and breathless and not knowing whether to go to hospital or not.

One thing I wondered about was night nurse, given it acts as a cough suppressant. Would that be a good or bad thing I wonder?

Is none fizzy lemonade more soothing?

Hop everyone is on the mend soon.

Loo roll (I'm being serious btw) I had the worst trots ever and went on for nearly two weeks!

Good point about lollies - will add them to my next shopping delivery. I don’t know why non fizzy lucozade was requested but you know how you just fancy specific things when I’ll.

And yes, two packs of painkillers are not enough especially if you have more than one person ill.

I did have one of those oximeters but it stopped working after a couple of months so I returned it for a refund. My phone will do it but doubt it’s all that accurate.

I suppose when you feel poorly it can take allsorts. Lollies are a good call, I wouldn't have thought of that.

Batch cooking is a godsend for illness. As is freezing portions of cooked meat that's easy to sling into a sauce for a quick meal if you're a meat eater.

Colloidal silver and vitamins, especially c and d, and zinc.

Useful list, thanks!

I like to have long life orange juice in the cupboard incase we run out of fresh. Dh insists that it makes him feel better when he's ill.

Dh had a (non-covid) cough recently and I bought I bottle of cough medicine and vapour rub for the cupboard.

If you think you have enough tissues / cold + flu tablets, you don't I've just gotten over a cold and was using a full box of tissues every other day

I would add Plenty of Dettol or bleach spray to clean surfaces to help spreading virus to others in the house. And if you are someone who vomits when you cough (not nice but true) then a couple of sick bowls in case you are unable to get to bathroom. Thank you for this thread, reminded me I need to checkout and restock my first aid / medical stash.

Thank you for the thread. If we do send our kids to school and nursery this week I am assuming we will get covid at some point as our covid rates are higher than some parts of London. So will be getting some of these in. We have a smartwatch with an oximeter but not sure of its accuracy.

Cup soup, mug shots, couscous sachets for just add water food.

Batch cooking ( as mentioned up thread)

Partially cooked meals (when feeling a little better but tired)

Jelly, some ready made,some packs to make up.

Paracetamol, ibuprofen, strepsils, other OTC meds. Don't forget children's meds.

Prescription meds.

Drinks. Pop, fruit juices, long life and fridge.

Powdered milk and/or various long life milk.

Vitamins for adults and children.

Bin for each room for tissues and bin liners.

Two weeks worth of food including plenty of open and heat food. Curry tins with added tinned veg and a sachet of rice or pack of naan bread is quick and easy.

Food for kids to help themselves.

Eg: cartons of fruit juice, bread sticks, crackers, dairylea triangles, easy peel fruit, jellies with fruit, yogurts, bottles of juice/water portions of maltloaf, the usual lunchbox stuff... etc etc etc.

Icepops. Store in a cupboard and pop in freezer when required.

Sticker books or colouring books for kids. New little toys. ( Or a box of toys that has been put away and can be got out)

All sorts of things to keep kids occupied.

Rehydration sachets for adults and children. Antibacterial wipes for wiping round toilet or door handles.

A spare thermometer just in case the original one breaks.

I know they are the least popular thing on Mumsnet but if you've got a bad stomach wet toilet paper wipes are a lifesaver.

They're only unpopular because divvys flush them down the bog though.

Family of 7 here, all had it in October
Paracetamol
Oximeter
Thermometer
A friend on standby to take postal tests to the post office when we were too ill drive

I got Covid before Christmas and I’m still recovering a month on. I had about 10 days were I couldn’t even stick a pizza in the oven for my DCs. Thankfully my 12 year old is a whizz at sandwiches though I think my 15 year old survived on chocolate and crisps.

I would recommend either batch cooking and freezing nice home cooked food or get ready meals in. Thankfully my friend realised I was struggling and dropped off home cooked food for my boys so have that as a contingency if you can. I bought her a load of Tupperware via amazon so there was no contact.

As for me, I was able to eat small amounts even though I lost my sense of smell. I liked apples and oranges as there was a “tang” to them. Crackers were good too as was a bit of protein eg chicken. I couldn’t handle carbohydrates, the only times I was sick was after eating this. Not sure whether this is due to me being diabetic though.

Definitely get a pulse oximeter. I got a £5 one that broke straight away so paid £20 for a much better quality one. You need this to keep an eye on oxygen levels as they can dip drastically and if they do you need hospital. I got down to 95 with 111 heart rate at rest so was near but ok. It would freak out if I walked anywhere ie up the stairs but calmed down when I had 10 mins rest.

I’m in the vulnerable category so after having a initial sob over the shock of testing positive I accepted I could die and arranged practicalities with my DCs uncle & aunt. I send them details of where my Will was, where the spare keys are, where I bank, the boys bank accounts etc and confessed I was a prepper (heh) and they agreed to come get my boys if I had to go to hospital.

I found that having that in place helped my anxiety a lot. I could concentrate on sleeping and trying to get better. I realise this is a bit morbid but necessary.

Hope your feeling much better now Snowy.

@ToastieSnowy thanks for that and I’m so sorry you had it so bad. I have now tested positive myself and am also craving apples and oranges. I am also in the CEV group but my DH just asked for the supermarket passwords 🙄😄!

I’m over the worst, just very slow at getting better. Hope it is mild for you @Wildernesstips. I found symptoms come in waves and on day 4 my symptoms disappeared to return with a vengeance the next day. It’s a strange virus. Paracetamol is good too.

Vitamin D and zinc are supposed to help. No idea whether this is true but it certainly didn’t hurt. I just ate oranges for vitamin C.