The experts are telling us not to panic and I totally agree. But if you've ever had a sick household, you know how hard it is to get the items you really need. So here's a list for parents we might want to just keep in mind.
Hand SoapWe're all washing for at least 20 seconds now, right?
Canned and Dry FoodsReally any non-perishable foods. Think a few days of food (up to 14 days) that won't spoil. This is hard with little kids who are picky eaters so keep peanut butter and granola bars in mind. You know what your kids will and won't eat. Mine like those little fruit cups of pears and mandarin oranges. You'll also want dry foods, like rice, oats or pasta. And if I'm the sick one, that microwave rice sounds like all the effort I'm willing to put out.
Bleach CleanerWhile the real threat of the virus is person-to-person contact, disinfecting surfaces with bleach or disinfectant wipes will likely kill the virus on surfaces as it does for the regular flu.
Cold Medicine and PrescriptionsYou're a parent so you probably have this, but now would be a good time to re-stock on your usual cough medicine and fever/pain reducer. Think about hydration for the family and grab some Pedialyte or Gatorade. My kids will drink all the Gatorade if they see it in the house, so maybe get the dissolvable powder versions. Important medicines you take regularly? See if you can't get ahead on that. Refill a little early if you can.
Baby ItemsDiapers, formula, wipes...all the essentials if there's a baby in your house.
Tissues, Paper Towels and Toilet PaperYou get it.
Screen DisinfectantYou kids are gonna be using phones or tablets a lot when they're bored inside. The CDC recommends regularly cleaning “high-touch” surfaces a category into which fall phones, tablets, remotes, and screens. Using rubbing alcohol, window cleaner, dish soap, vinegar, surface disinfectant wipes, and even paper towels could damage a phone or device’s delicate screen. The best way to clean a phone is with a damp microfiber cloth or approved screen-cleaning wipe like 3M’s Notebook Screen Cleaning Wipes. (I just use Clorox wipes though and it always seemed fine.)
Laundry Detergent and Dish SoapClothes will still need to be cleaned. So will baby bottles, dishes, and the thousand other things that require a good scrubbing. Buying three or four containers of detergent as well as a few larger containers of dish soap to refill bottles is a good idea.
Pet Food/SuppliesDon't forget your pet when you're stocking up on essentials.
The good news is all of this stuff can and will be used when this is all over and hopefully you'll never get sick! But if you worry like I do about making sure you're able to stay on top of all your responsibilities as a parent...I thought it might be worth sharing this mental prep-list. Now go wash your hands. :)