Development of a family emergency plan for COVID-19 – Parents

By the staff of BuenosConsejosParaPadres.com

Reading time: 3 minutes

Five practical steps to help you protect your home during the coronavirus outbreak.

The coronavirus continues to have a serious impact on Texas communities. Hand washing, the use of masks in public and the practice of social distancing are still critical measures when it comes to minimizing the risk of infecting ourselves or others.

However, have you made plans with your family in the event that someone (or the entire family) becomes infected? Don’t wait until it’s too late! Have an emergency plan ready to go. Here are five steps you can take today:

Step 1: Plan what to do with your children.

Get help from someone who can safely care for your children in the event that adults in the household contract the disease. Choose someone:

• Who can and is willing to help.
• That he is healthy.
• Who you can trust with your children.
• That they do not present a high risk of complications derived from COVID-19 (older adults from 65 years of age, people with chronic lung or coronary diseases or who get sick easily).

Step 2: Gather support and stock up.

• Reach out to family and friends in your community to create a support network that can help you with taking care of your pets, completing paperwork, shopping for home, or picking up medications while the illness lasts.
• Make sure you have certain basic cleaning products on hand to disinfect and clean the house, such as soap, bleach, and gloves.
• Make sure you have enough personal care products, such as soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, for a two-week period so they don’t run out.
• Talk to your healthcare providers about getting a two-week supply of all the medications you need and how to get a refill by shipping to your door.

Step 3: Update family information in an emergency.

• When you are sick, the last thing you want to do is look up a phone number. Find what to write with and gather the following information:
  • A complete list of your current doctors (and your children’s), including how to contact them.
  • Information about your pharmacy, including contact information.
  • A list of the medication that the family members take and how to administer it in each case.
• Post this information where everyone can see it in your home, and be sure to update it if it changes.
• Share this information with the people you have asked for help.
• Download an Emergency Information Form that you can complete, save, print and share.

Step 4: Everyone can help, including children.

• Talk to your children about what is happening and how they can help you.
• Show them how to wash their hands and maintain social distance.
• If your children are old enough to wear masks (from two years old), explain why it is important that they wear it when they leave the house.
• Explaining which rules must be followed and why they are important can be key in setting expectations and managing fears.

Step 5: Prepare for two weeks of recovery.

• If you or other family members are infected, you should plan for a two-week isolation period while you recover or recover. Such isolation means sleeping in a separate room and, if possible, using a bathroom exclusively. It also involves not sharing kitchen utensils or making use of disposable plates and washing personal and bedding separately or in the hottest possible water.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has detailed resources for families dealing with illness. Here you will find some links that can serve as a guide:

– .