How To Be Better Prepared For Another Wave Of COVID-19

By Khola Waddy-Jones | October 23, 2020

Coronavirus doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon. If there’s going to be another lockdown or another spike in virus case numbers, then the only thing that is good about this is that we have been through it before and learned lessons; we can be prepared and do things differently this time. So how can you be better prepared for another wave of COVID-19, or perhaps it’s not another wave but a continuation of a virus that we may have to get used to living with. 

Lower Your Exposure To Large Groups of People

Everyone knows that they need to lower their exposure to large groups of people by now. We know that the disease can spread quickly from one person, so it’s essential to avoid large crowds and gatherings. Even if you see that there are events still going on in your area, then it’s best to avoid them, or if you decide to go to a pub but realise it’s busy when you get there, then it’s probably best to go elsewhere.

Follow Government Guidelines

Even if you’re not sure what the government guidelines are, do your best to research and find out what you should or shouldn’t be doing. It can be confusing, but if most people play by the rules and self-isolate if you aren’t feeling well, avoid public transport and work from home where possible, then the spread of the virus should decrease. 

Download the Test and Trace App

Different countries have different apps, but wherever you are, make sure you download the right one that will help trace recent close contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus.

These apps help control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the infection, and save lives. By playing your part through downloading the app, you will directly help to contain the virus by reducing its spread. 

Prepare to Work From Home

Many employers are considering making the transition to working from home a permanent one to save money and keep their teams healthy. During the past few months, many people have found that they can be more productive working from home if you have the tools and space to work efficiently. Prepare to make working from home more permanent by investing in the furniture and tools you need for a comfortable home office. It’s essential to make sure that you or your employees have an excellent internet connection, as communication has never been so important. Employees need access to video conference calls, enough data on their phones, and a decent phone signal too. If this is something that your employees struggle with, then it’s a good idea to look into something like WilsonPro. This is the leader in commercial-grade, in-building, and fleet vehicle cell signal enhancement technology and can help businesses solve their cellular connectivity issues. If you’re a manager or own your own business, you also need to consider what to do if you or your company decide to make working from home a permanent arrangement. Or what if the virus forces another transition to remote work? Make an emergency plan for remote office work so that if your state issues another round of stay-at-home orders or people on your team fall ill, you’re prepared.

Be Prepared To Stay At Home

Just as you need to be prepared to work from home, you need to be prepared to be spending more time at home on the weekends and evenings. Perhaps invest in some board games, subscribe to an on-demand TV service, buy some arts and crafts bits, everything you need for baking, or some home exercise equipment. Think about ways to make spending time at home more exciting and how you can keep entertained.

Be Aware of Your Mental Health

Many people were surprised during the first lockdown about how their mental health suffered. While it’s likely to be the same, it’s essential to be prepared for this. What is important to know is that this challenging time will pass and will soon be over. If you are struggling, then seek professional help or find ways of coping that work for you. Try guided meditations, writing down your feelings, or using a helpline. 

Physical Health Is Important Too

The last lockdown saw people pretty much divided into two camps, the ones who went outside to exercise every day and used the time of the pubs and restaurants being closed to eat healthily and make a positive impact on their health. The other half who ditched exercise altogether comfort ate and put on a load of lockdown weight. If lockdowns are going to become more commonplace, then it’s crucial to be prepared and not to use it as an excuse to eat everything you want 

Learn to Be More Self-Sufficient

Learning how to be more self-sufficient can also help you weather the second wave of COVID-19. For example, many people learned how to bake their own bread at home when they could no longer find bread in the grocery store. Others began cooking meals from scratch for the first time. You could even start a home garden as growing your food is the least expensive way to feed your family and keep you busy. 

Build a Comprehensive First-Aid Kit

Do you have a well-stocked medicine cabinet and first-aid kit at home? While being prepared to handle small emergencies is essential at any time, it’s essential during a pandemic. If a second wave hits, hospitals could be overflowing and likely the last place you would want to be. Build a comprehensive medicine cabinet with supplies to handle minor to moderate illnesses and injuries and stock up on natural flu treatments. You can also keep your family healthy by boosting your immune system by exercising regularly and eating healthy, fresh food, which can lower your risk of getting sick.

Buy Extra Face Masks

During the first wave of the pandemic, face masks sold out quickly and remained out of stock for months. Many people had to make their own face masks. You can now buy some reusable face masks on Amazon, but these might sell out again if cases start to spike, so buy a few extra when they’re available. Alternatively, you could buy the supplies you need to make a homemade face mask. 

Prepare for Online Learning or Home Schooling

Many schools closed abruptly during the first wave of the pandemic, leaving parents scrambling to handle child care and homeschooling at the same time. If schools close again, it’s better to be prepared and fix where you went wrong last time. Think about what books, tools, or supplies would have helped make the process easier. Remember, if schools close again, parents will likely rush to buy laptops and other learning tools, so if you need to upgrade, do it now.

If you’re a teacher, start planning for an extended closure can help you avoid some of the confusion that resulted during the first round of last-minute closures. More parents plan to homeschool now anyway due to safety concerns, so you could help create lists of supplies and curriculums that they struggle to find elsewhere. 

Get a Flu Shot

Many medical experts are worried about a fall resurgence of COVID-19 because if it happens, it will coincide with the flu season. If these two viruses are circulating in tandem, hospitals could quickly become overloaded with patients. Getting a flu shot might help protect you from getting the influenza virus or experiencing severe complications that could lead to an expensive hospital stay. Additionally, it’s in everyone’s best interest to stay out of the hospital, where exposure to secondary infections or even the COVID-19 virus itself is a severe risk.

Shift Your Perspective.

COVID-19 has meant that 2020 has been an exhausting and difficult year for everyone, but it is far from over. Rather than spending your time wishing you could just “get back to normal,” try to understand that this is the “new normal” now and for the foreseeable future. This means that social distancing is likely here to stay for some time, and there could be periods of lockdown to come. It’s worth getting used to it now that there are going to be times when restaurants won’t be able to serve at full capacity; attractions and activities will enforce the two-meter distancing rule, and working from home could go on longer than you’d like. If you can get your head around this and expect life to be this way, then you will avoid disappointment. Try not to prepare for it to be over, don’t plan parties for next year just to end up having to cancel; it’s far better to remember that this is the new normal now and to plan accordingly. Should things change, then you can plan a last-minute celebration, see all the people you have missed and go crazy!