How to Prepare for the Second Wave of COVID-19
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August 2, 2020 by Linda Loosli 34  Comments , ,

How to Prepare for the Second Wave of COVID-19

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We all know that COVID-19 has affected not only us but the entire world. We don’t need to regurgitate the news on this one, but what we do need to do is work to become better prepared. There may be a second wave of this virus in the fall as kids head to school and the weather gets cooler. We need to prepare our bodies to stay healthy and we need to prepare our homes with essential items that we saw vanish with the first wave. I just learned about this temporary tooth filling: Dentek Temparin Max Repair Kit

Keep reading to find out how to prepare for the second wave of COVID-19. Please check with your medical professional to make sure whatever you do is compatible with your medications and health restrictions. I am not a doctor, a nurse, or someone in the medical field. I’m a grandma and a mom with years of experience in treating my own family.

6 Ways to Lessen the Impact of the Second Wave of COVID-19

Some experts believe that there will be a second wave of COVID-19 this fall, or this winter. We don’t have a vaccine available yet, and we still don’t know everything about this virus. So, the best thing we can do is try to keep ourselves informed and lessen the impact based on our own actions. Here are 8 ways you can help lessen the impact. 

  1. Wash your hands. Keep washing your hands and try keeping them away from your face. If you can’t wash your hands, be sure to use hand sanitizer. 
  2. Practice social distancing. I still hug my loved ones, but I do think it is important to social distance, especially if you don’t know someone or where they have been. 
  3. Wear a mask. Many people hate wearing these things, but they aren’t really effective if we don’t all wear them. Masks help to keep your germs from spreading into the air as much. They don’t completely keep all germs in, but it helps to keep a lot of them from getting into the air. If someone else is wearing one, and you are wearing one, it is much harder for those little germs to get through two masks. 
  4. Stay home if you are sick. We are so used to just having to get it done whether we are sick or not, but it is important to stay home while you are sick. 
  5. Plan accordingly. If you are planning for a trip, be sure to get insurance of some kind. You may need refundable airfare or reservations. 
  6. Stock up on cold/flu medications. You won’t want to run to the store while you are sick, so make sure you have everything you need. 
Read More of My Articles  Asymptomatic VS Presymptomatic Spread of COVID-19

Related: Coronavirus: Are We Prepared for Winter

Keep Your Immune System Up

As you know, viruses of any kind wreak havoc on your immune system. And, whether we are worried about COVID-19 or not, it’s always good to prevent getting sick in the first place. The best way you can prevent getting sick is to keep your immune system up! Here are some ways you can boost your immune system:

  1. Don’t smoke.
  2. Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.
  3. Exercise at least 30-minutes per day.
  4. Keep a healthy weight.
  5. Drink alcohol in moderation.
  6. Get enough sleep. Try to get 7-9 hours per night.
  7. Minimize your stress. Stress can lower your immune system. 
  8. Take vitamin C everyday. 

Foods that Boost Your Immune System

Eating the right foods is a great way to build your immune system. So, stock up on the following foods to keep your immune system as healthy as possible:

How to Prepare for the Second Wave of COVID-19

In addition to reducing the chances the wave may catch up with you, and keeping your immune system healthy, you will want to stock up with many necessary items before the panic sets in. As preppers, you should be pretty prepared already, but there are a few things that literally got wiped out during the first wave. Here are some items you should be stocking up on now!

  1. Toilet paper…We all know how this went the last time.
  2. Flour
  3. Yeast
  4. Baking powder
  5. Pasta or boxed foods
  6. Ramen noodles
  7. Powdered milk
  8. Soups
  9. Canned goods
  10. Bread
  11. Paper towels
  12. Hand soap
  13. Gatorade
  14. Water
  15. Bleach
  16. Laundry soap
  17. Dish soap
  18. Electrolyte Drip Drop
  19. Cough Lozenges
  20. Imodium
  21. Aspirin
  22. Tylenol
  23. Ibuprofen
  24. Vicks VapoRub
  25. Bag Balm
  26. Dr. Bronner’s Soap
  27. Hand Sanitizer
  28. Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
  29. Orajel
  30. Benadryl
  31. Advil
  32. First Aid Supplies
  33. Survival Medical HandBook
  34. Non-latex Gloves
  35. Antibacterial Soap
  36. Bars of Soap
  37. Emergen-C
  38. Lip Balm
  39. Nasal Spray
  40. Vitamins
  41. Allergy Medications
  42. Infant Fever Reducer Medications
  43. Child Fever Reducer Medications

In addition to stocking up on the above items, you will want to make sure that you have at the very least 2-weeks worth of food for everyone in your household. Be sure to have 4-gallons of water per person per day available as well. 

Read More of My Articles  8 Rational Reasons to Prepare

Other Items You May Need for Second Wave of COVID-19

Most people who get COVID-19 are seeing mild symptoms that they can fight off at home. However, symptoms have been much longer and much more severe than your regular flu. Those who have had COVID-19, either in the hospital or while staying at home, have been given some supplements to help them fight it off. In case you may get COVID-19, it would be a good idea to have these supplements on hand:

Always talk to your doctor before taking any new supplements or vitamins!

Micronutrients, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D Supplements

Research done by Adrian Gombart of Oregon State University‘s (OSU), Linus Pauling Institute and collaborators at the University of Southampton (United Kingdom), the University of Otago (New Zealand) and University Medical Center (The Netherlands), and findings that have been published in the journal Nutrients have found that micronutrients, vitamin C, and vitamin D are an effective way of helping the immune system fight off COVID-19. The research also notes that this sometimes means in amounts exceeding recommended levels. 

Zinc

Another component to helping fight COVID-19 is Zinc. Zinc is found in cells throughout your body. It helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. It’s a natural antiviral and antibacterial.  In fact, zinc lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking the coronavirus and other viruses from multiplying in your throat or nasopharynx. 

Daily Vitamins

Researchers are also urging people to take daily multivitamins. This would include doses of 200 milligrams or more of vitamin C, and 2,000 units of vitamin D on a daily basis to help keep your immune system as strong as possible. 

Before taking any vitamin or supplement, please speak with your doctor! You will need a doctor to tell you the correct dosages and ensure that this is the best option for you. Please remember, I am not a doctor, nurse, or anyone in the medical profession. It’s critical you check with YOUR medical specialist about possible medication interactions with any vitamins or food supplements based on the prescriptions you are taking now.

Related: Vitamin B12 Everything You Need to Know

I have a plethora of information on my blog about how to be prepared for a pandemic. If you would like additional information, please check out some of my other posts below:

Final Word

I think we are all tired of thinking about, hearing about, and dealing with COVID-19. This post is not to spread fear, but to help you prepare for a second wave. All we can do is prepare for as many situations as we can. Stay healthy and stay prepared! May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: COVID Items AdobeStock_328166956 by Maridav, Coronavirus Deposit photos_333886800_s-2019

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34 Comments

  1. Second Wave? Instead of flu season it’ll be covid season or maybe we can just lump it into virus season. They are bout the same.
    Linda you’ve got some good advise and direction posted not just for the virus but a lot of possibilities and probabilities.
    I hear a lot of arguing bout “Muh Freedom” which I get because the government shouldn’t be ordering this as well as overreaction power trips but you should be doing it anyway without being told. Seriously do y’all hear yourselves arguing to be fat, physically weak and sick because of “Muh Freedom”?
    Stay safe.

    Reply

    1. Hi Matt, it will be lumped all together for sure. Who knows what’s real. We just need to be prepared for whatever comes our way, but you know that! The overreaction is pushing people to suicide, it really concerns me. Stay well, counting down the days until your retirement, my friend! Linda

      Reply

  2. Thank you so much for this. I am going to share with my non prepper friends. get it NOW, before the panic gets it all later. I mean, HOPEFULLY it will not happen, but I think it’s bound to. Thankfully, we’ve already had “the ‘rona,” lol.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jamie, I think we are bound to have another wave of Influenza, that’s typical in the fall. The COVID is not going away where I live. I wish it would slow down, but not sure we’re hearing all the facts. Plus, some of us could be asymptomatic. I’m not sure we’ll ever know. Stay well, Linda

      Reply

  3. Hi Linda,
    I believe being prepared is key and your post help as a reminder to me of what I may need or haven’t thought of. Because of you my husband and I are pretty prepared for city folk. I’ve never looked at your post as gloom and doom, but as a reminder so we’re not caught off guard. I hope others see it this way too. I noticed yesterday that in my area there is a shortage off freezer bags. This is new for us and there wasn’t a shortage in March. Have you noticed this? What other new shortages have you noticed recently? I had to go to three stores to find freezer bags and the only ones I found were at a discount store.
    Thank you for sharing and be safe.
    Sabrina

    Reply

    1. Hi Sabrina, thank you, I want my blog to inform and not make people fearful. I haven’t noticed a shortage of freezer bags. I will go check on that. I have seen shortages of fresh meat, canned vegetables, canned beans, and canned fruit. I wouldn’t say extreme shortages but the shelves are about 1/4 full. I am seeing new brands of bleach wipes, I found about 24 cans of Lysol spray at Walmart the other day. Three shelves were empty and I spotted the Lysol, I was in shock to tell you the truth. I bought 2 cans so as not to take from others. I gave one to my daughter. Stay safe and stay well, Linda

      Reply

  4. Linda, thought you’d like to know the Vick’s uses synthetic eucalyptus now.I feel it’s more for the smell than anything medicinal but I’m not a doctor,just my opinion. If you check your store brands, they might still use real eucalyptus in their rubs. At least the Meijers brand is still using real eucalyptus in their formulation.

    Reply

    1. Hi Kathy, oh I have got to check this out, thank you!! WOW! Oh my gosh, this is very disappointing to me. I LOVE Vicks VapoRub!! Thank you for the heads up! Linda

      Reply

      1. You’re welcome, surprised me when the jar I had bought didn’t seem to work as well as an old jar I had. Checked the ingredients and found the eucalyptus was synthetic. Got me to wondering about others vapo rub. that’s when I saw the store brand still used real eucalyptus (and it was cheaper, LOL)

        Reply

  5. Second wave? The FIRST one hasn’t even left yet! I think it’s going to be just one huge, continuous wave. I’m scared of what’s going to happen when it mixes with the seasonal flu – a new strain no one can control either! Oh well, we’re as well prepared as we can be.

    I’m noticing that all stores, doesn’t matter what type, are only about 1/3 to 1/2 full of anything. I’m sure alot of stores, like Target, are spacing everything out for social distancing which gives the appearances of not having much but the grocery stores are what still surprises me. Alot of misc. items are still low/out. I was at WalMart 2 days ago tho and I have never seen such a HUGE amount of hand sanitizer! Thousands upon thousands of Equate hand sanitizer and another brand I can’t remember the name of. So if people want to get more of it, now’s the time at WalMart! :o) I’ve been reading the list of all the banned brands out there and Equate wasn’t one of them but most come from Mexico and I don’t know where Equate brand is made. I have enough supplies to make my own and that, I know, is safe! LOL

    Reply

    1. Hi Robbie, I saw lots of sanitizer bottles when I was there too!! I have plenty for the two of us and I can make some as well. I agree we are still in the COVID, but I’m hoping today’s post will push a few people to be ready for whatever comes our way this fall. It’s the economy I am very worried about with people out of work. How much more can non-government workers take? More and more people are becoming dependent on the government for food stamps, low-income housing, etc. There are no words….stay safe, stay well, Linda

      Reply

          1. I actually bought some yesterday but they’ve had wipes in stock around here for a while now

  6. Thank you for the precious time and effort you put forward with this info and your website. I believe recent events have shown how ill prepared the masses are for ANY bad situation. Those who mocked and called us lunatic stockpilers for being prepared in the past are the ones looking crazy now. I don’t believe most of the nonsense being put forward by the “experts”, but I do believe things are part of the bigger picture and what the Lord said would happen in His Holy Word. God bless you.

    Reply

  7. I have to say, I didn’t run out of anything with this first round of ‘lock-down’. While there were shortages on bread,meat, cleaning supplies,hand sanitizer and toilet paper,we were not affected as we had been to Costco the week before it happened. Since I home can a lot, I had plenty of food to share.I have neighbors that have chickens, so eggs were often traded for with home baked bread. (social distancing of course). And I baked breads for family and other friends. Having had many medical supplies,masks,meds etc was also a God -send. We never know what this world is going to throw at us, so being prepared is only common sense to me. So ,while the rest of the world was struggling, we were ‘sitting pretty’ so to speak. And blessed to be able to help those we knew were having it tough. Thank you for all you do to keep us up to date and well informed. May God continue to bless you and yours.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy, it really is a blessing knowing we are prepared and yet can help others when things are tough. I wish every family would teach their kids to make bread. It’s truly a blessing for everyone. If we can teach them to make sourdough bread no yeast is needed. If they can make biscuits, etc. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Stay safe, Linda

      Reply

  8. Since the case counts even in MA has been slowly rising over the past week, I’ve been double-checking my supply levels and topping off everything I’ve used or think might be helpful if stores shutdown for a couple of months. The supply chain is already stretched near breaking with weird shortages of items that have never been out of stock in the supermarkets before CV, and it won’t take a lot more strain to cause real hardship. I really feel badly for the stockers and checkout clerks at the markets as they are bearing the brunt of people’s frustrations for not a lot of money. My wife and I always try to be friendly since we understand that CV has disrupted everything and they are just stuck in an essential job doing the best they can.
    Hope everyone can stay safe out there!

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  9. FYI – I read an article a day or so ago regarding the testing being done. It stated that it has been found out that a lot of the Positive tests are not actually true. What has been found out that if a person had a flu shot, it was giving a false positive testing result and especially so if they get one every year. My advise is for people to not just fall prey to the media outlets, but to do a lot of research into what is actually going on that the media isn’t telling you. Yes, it’s always a wise choice to prepare ahead of anything that might happen and Linda is an excellent place to start and she always gives excellent advice on how to plan ahead. Stay safe everyone, and use logical thinking regarding all this.

    Reply

    1. Hi Pam, thank you for your kind words. I believe I had COVID in January. What’s really bad it was my 70th birthday and my husband and I flew with our daughter to England and France. She has flight benefits so we can fly for next to nothing. The US hadn’t mentioned or were unaware of the CV at the time. I didn’t feel well, but I rarely go to the doctor because I can heal myself 99.99% of the time. This time was different. I was on the plane flying there and I just thought my back hurt from the flight. It got worse once we landed to start our trip. I was having trouble breathing, like nothing I had ever had before. I have had pneumonia several times but this was different. I thought I had jet lag. I fought through the exhaustion. We kept visiting all the places we knew we wouldn’t be able to see again because of our age, etc. The crazy thing is when we got to Paris, low and behold, The Chinese New Year was being celebrated there. We saw 1000’s of people, some with masks, several without. But we had no idea that COVID was rampant at the time. Sorry, I’m going on and on, but luckily we got home safe. When I got home I was really having trouble breathing. I was diagnosed with double pneumonia and two ear infections. I did not know I had a fever. At the time, COVID was not known until the next month. The doctor didn’t say anything about COVID because I don’t think they knew YET. I don’t trust the COVID testing but I would be interested in knowing if I REALLY had it or not. Linda

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  10. Linda, and to all those who comment here: thank you for sharing your experience and insights. I love Lists! One item I’ve not seen is this dental stuff for putting in a temporary filling. My sister had a filling fall out during the time when few dentist offices were open. She happened to have this on hand ( and she didn’t even remember why she bought it or when, lol). She packed it in, let it harden, and no toothache, no infection. It lasted over a month until she was able to get a crown put on. Her dentist said he wished more people knew about this. He learned from his other patients that many were going to ER for antibiotics/painkillers for the same thing. I need to learn the brand-name or at least the product name for this. Whether it’s Covid19 or any other virus/flu, it’s best to have things on hand! ☮️

    Reply

    1. Hi Wendy, get me the brand, I need to tell people about it. My dentist told me to always have sugar-free gum on hand for the same reason. Well, that works for a day or two but not a month. Thanks for the tip, Let’s get the word out. Let me know when you find it. Thank you, Linda

      Reply

  11. I had conversations with my internist and cardiologist so I could get some accurate, non-media biased information. Both agreed with my prevention habits of Vitamin C and D (2000 IU for adults was a minimum since most people are already deficient). My cardiologist said that home testing kits are in the works as well as drugs for treatment, because as he acknowledged, not everyone will get a vaccine and even so they don’t work for everyone. Also, as you mentioned, we still need to be prepared for the usual colds and flu.
    Take care 🙂

    Reply

  12. Hi, Linda. I have the brand “DenTek” which is a tiny bottle of temporary dental filling material, plus an applicator. I get this at WalMart, usually, but it lasts a long time so don’t know if WalMart still carries it. Works great for emergency fillings!

    Reply

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