What would you bring with you to a location with minimal health care in case you get Covid?

[J-rap]

My dh and I will be flying to an area for two-three months where there is minimal health care and it would be impossible to get anywhere else without flying.  They are being extremely cautious and we're required to test negative 24-hours before departure.  We want to be prepared for getting Covid while there just in case, and self-treating.  We're of course vaccinated, boostered, wear good masks, etc, and almost everything there will be outdoors, no crowds.    

What I'm bringing so far are thermometer, pulse oximeter, NyQuil and DayQuil, home rapid tests.  Can you think of anything else I should bring?

[NorthernBeth]

I am so curious as to where you are going!!

Anyways as someone who does live in a place with minimal health care, keep in mind all the other little things that can happen beside Covid. We CAN get to the nursing station, but sometimes it is busy or sometimes they are out of supplies there as well.

You may have already thought of such things.  But if you haven't already, I would include:  bandaids of different sizes,  alcohol wipes for cuts,  hydrogen peroxide, Polysporin,  Basic eye drops, basic ear drops, a tensor bandage,  an ice pack, Tylyenol, Advil, muscle relaxants.    Don't forget Midol, if you are prone to cramping.  Monistat can be useful too.  Orajel if you are prone to toothaches.

If you are not sure about water quality, bring a water filtering system.

As to Covid-specific:   bring some vitamin D, some throat lozanges,  some nasal spray. also lots of juice mix and bouillon cubes, for days when you don't feel like cooking if you are sick.  

[J-rap]

6 minutes ago, NorthernBeth said:

I am so curious as to where you are going!!

Anyways as someone who does live in a place with minimal health care, keep in mind all the other little things that can happen beside Covid. We CAN get to the nursing station, but sometimes it is busy or sometimes they are out of supplies there as well.

You may have already thought of such things.  But if you haven't already, I would include:  bandaids of different sizes,  alcohol wipes for cuts,  hydrogen peroxide, Polysporin,  Basic eye drops, basic ear drops, a tensor bandage,  an ice pack, Tylyenol, Advil, muscle relaxants.    Don't forget Midol, if you are prone to cramping.  Monistat can be useful too.  Orajel if you are prone to toothaches.

If you are not sure about water quality, bring a water filtering system.

As to Covid-specific:   bring some vitamin D, some throat lozanges,  some nasal spray. also lots of juice mix and bouillon cubes, for days when you don't feel like cooking if you are sick.  

Thanks for the great list!  We've been there before, so I've been mostly prepared for other things -- but you've named things I hadn't thought of before.  And great ideas on other Covid-specific items -- thank you!   What nose spray would you recommend?

[Dianthus]

Flonase and Afrin 

[J-rap]

5 minutes ago, Spirea said:

Flonase and Afrin 

Thanks, I've added these to my list. 👍🏼

[Spryte]

You have Benadryl? I, personally, would be packing enough epipens to keep an elephant alive, but I’m guessing you don’t have those type of allergies!

[J-rap]

4 minutes ago, Spryte said:

You have Benadryl? I, personally, would be packing enough epipens to keep an elephant alive, but I’m guessing you don’t have those type of allergies!

Actually, that's a good idea.  We don't generally have allergies, but now and then a strange one will pop up.  Couldn't hurt!

[freesia]

Definitely Tylenol and Advil. When dh had a break through case this summer, his only symptom was a very high fever. You can bring down high fevers by alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen every two hours. Because of his allergies, it took a while for us to start this protocol and it was scared. It would have been worse if I hadn’t had ER as a back up. 

[wathe]

For covid, for sure thermometer, pulse oximeter and rapid tests.  Those things are only going to tell you how sick you are though, not treatment. They will help you make decisions about when to med-evac, so still very important.   I don't think there is any effective covid treatment that is DIY.  Besides acetaminophen and ibuprofen  for comfort (fever, myalgia).  Packing oxygen and decadron and remdesivir  etc probably aren't realistic........

My not-for-covid Fancy First Aid kid includes analgesia, antibiotics (for UTI, skin infections, and when the kids where little, ear infections), epipens, reactine, Ventolin, and narcan ( the narcan is just in case for other people), a suture set with freezing and stitch, steristrips and crazy glue.  You can do a lot with steristrips and crazy glue.

[J-rap]

2 minutes ago, freesia said:

Definitely Tylenol and Advil. When dh had a break through case this summer, his only symptom was a very high fever. You can bring down high fevers by alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen every two hours. Because of his allergies, it took a while for us to start this protocol and it was scared. It would have been worse if I hadn’t had ER as a back up. 

Thanks.  I'm familiar with the Tylenol/Advil rotation, but it's a good reminder to make sure we have plenty of both.

[J-rap]

3 minutes ago, wathe said:

For covid, for sure thermometer, pulse oximeter and rapid tests.  Those things are only going to tell you how sick you are though, not treatment. They will help you make decisions about when to med-evac, so still very important.   I don't think there is any effective covid treatment that is DIY.  Besides acetaminophen and ibuprofen  for comfort (fever, myalgia).  Packing oxygen and decadron and remdesivir  etc probably aren't realistic........

My not-for-covid Fancy First Aid kid includes analgesia, antibiotics (for UTI, skin infections, and when the kids where little, ear infections), epipens, reactine, Ventolin, and narcan ( the narcan is just in case for other people), a suture set with freezing and stitch, steristrips and crazy glue.  You can do a lot with steristrips and crazy glue.

Yes, I agree that thermometer, pulse oximeter and rapid tests and escalating symptoms would help us know if a med-evac might be necessary.  And at the very least, if symptoms are mild (which I assume they would be given our vax status -- but you never know), it will show us that we need to quarantine.  We do have emergency antibiotics...  I wonder if I can get an OTC inhaler.  Crazy glue is a great idea! 

[Terabith]

Actually, I would ask my doctor about fluvoxamine.  If the new anti viral pills were out by the time we left, I would ask about those, as well.  I'd take turmeric and melatonin as well as vitamin D, even though those studies seem to be correlation not causation.  I'd see about some zofran or phenergan for nausea, in case that was an issue, too.  

[J-rap]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

Actually, I would ask my doctor about fluvoxamine.  If the new anti viral pills were out by the time we left, I would ask about those, as well.  I'd take turmeric and melatonin as well as vitamin D, even though those studies seem to be correlation not causation.  I'd see about some zofran or phenergan for nausea, in case that was an issue, too.  

Interesting -- thanks.  I think we have anti-nausea pills on hand from a past surgery!  I do take vitamin D and turmeric daily already.  

[prairiewindmomma]

My cousin presented with severe diarrhea with covid. I’d pack loperamide and a tube of baby ointment (to protect sensitive skin, iykwim).

Wathe mentioned ventolin up above, which is albuterol. That is definitely a must have for me as well.

[*****]

An MD in my area recommends (for covid): besides vitamin D,  Zinc supplements , vitamin C and Quercetin.  I don't take these daily, I stagger them.  If feeling like I am coming down with something, I will take quercetin for a few days. 

Don't forget soothing teas: ginger, peppermint, etc. 

1 more thing I forgot to add that was recommended by the Dr. was to take NAC.  I have taken this too as a preventive or if I felt a cold coming on (I have done some travelling during covid, so I was more regimented at these times as a preventive.)  You will have to look it up to see what it is for. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by *****
1 more thing to take: NAC

[TexasProud]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

 If the new anti viral pills were out by the time we left, I would ask about those, as well. 

Yes, when we go overseas, we have our primary care doc prescribe antibiotics. When we take a team, all of the docs and some team members have antibiotics for when people get ill, and I though I doubt it, since you are going to be in such a remote place, I wonder if they will send the pills with you. On our medical mission trips, our organization is now sending us with Covid tests and antibody treatment to use if someone gets it while we are over there. We bring back what we don't use for another team. 

[J-rap]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

My cousin presented with severe diarrhea with covid. I’d pack loperamide and a tube of baby ointment (to protect sensitive skin, iykwim).

Wathe mentioned ventolin up above, which is albuterol. That is definitely a must have for me as well.

Oh yes, I always bring Imodium on trips!  (And I just looked it up and I believe it's the same thing as Loperamide.)

[J-rap]

1 hour ago, ***** said:

An MD in my area recommends (for covid): besides vitamin D,  Zinc supplements , vitamin C and Quercetin.  I don't take these daily, I stagger them.  If feeling like I am coming down with something, I will take quercetin for a few days. 

Don't forget soothing teas: ginger, peppermint, etc. 

I haven't heard of Quercetin...  I have the others. 👍🏼  Thanks!

[prairiewindmomma]

1 minute ago, J-rap said:

Oh yes, I always bring Imodium on trips!  (And I just looked it up and I believe it's the same thing as Loperamide.)

Yup, same thing. Loperamide is the generic name.

[J-rap]

1 hour ago, TexasProud said:

Yes, when we go overseas, we have our primary care doc prescribe antibiotics. When we take a team, all of the docs and some team members have antibiotics for when people get ill, and I though I doubt it, since you are going to be in such a remote place, I wonder if they will send the pills with you. On our medical mission trips, our organization is now sending us with Covid tests and antibody treatment to use if someone gets it while we are over there. We bring back what we don't use for another team. 

Yes, we definitely will have antitbiotics!  I could ask about the anti-virals.

[matrips]

Haven’t read others, but I’d be taking our covid protocol supplements with us.

[Lucy the Valiant]

4 hours ago, ***** said:

An MD in my area recommends (for covid): besides vitamin D,  Zinc supplements , vitamin C and Quercetin.  I don't take these daily, I stagger them.  If feeling like I am coming down with something, I will take quercetin for a few days. 

Don't forget soothing teas: ginger, peppermint, etc. 

 

3 hours ago, matrips said:

Haven’t read others, but I’d be taking our covid protocol supplements with us.

^ This. 2 close family members of mine in a higher-risk category did exactly this over the summer. 

[Ausmumof3]

Ventolin, antihistamines and hydralite. Paracetamol. Stingose, betadine, Band-AIDS. 

Zinc, elderberry and C or whatever your standard cold thing is

ginger and lemon tea.

i haven’t experienced Covid so none of those are covid specific just what we usually have in our camping kit.

[plansrme]

Tissues. I just got over a mild case of the flu (that was, incidentally, much more uncomfortable than covid), and I went through so many tissues.

[katilac]

Mucinex. Covid tried to drown me. 

[lovinmyboys]

When I had COVID mucinex and the Sudafed you have to get from the pharmacist were what helped me the most.

[J-rap]

Thanks for all the ideas!  But I've added them to my list.  (I actually think I have a lot of those things in my medicine closet already, so that'll make it easier. 👍🏼)