Here we go again! Much like the SARS virus spread, yet another dangerous virus threatens to go global. With today’s near instant travel options it’s no wonder that viruses can spread so easily. Being able to set up a sick room is an important prep.
Location, location, location…
The first step to setting up a sick room is having a room. If you have a spare bedroom in your house, that could be ideal, but many don’t have that as an option. Moving a family member into another room may be required. A sick room needs to have a window in it that opens for a couple of reasons. First, sunshine and air flow are important. Secondly, you will need to dispose of waste products without dragging disease laden items through the rest of your home. If you need to displace a family member for a sick room, having a fold away bed or an air mattress would be a great idea!
Keep it isolated…
Hanging a plastic sheet in the doorway will allow for a degree of isolation from the rest of the home. One important thing to remember is that what goes into that room NEVER gets brought out through the rest of the home. That’s one of the reasons a opening window is needed. All trash or waste products need to be disposed of out that window!
Keep disposable items on hand…
Since you don’t want to be bringing dirty dishes out of that sick room, keeping disposable items on hand is ideal. A trash can in the room is your best friend. Nitryl gloves, isolation gowns, respiratory masks etc. obviously go in the trash before leaving the room. Feed your patient with disposable dinnerware and dispose of them in this manner.
Bodily fluids & human waste…
A portable toilet is a great idea for a sick room. A chemical toilet would work, but a bucket toilet would do also. If using the bucket option, some sort of absorbent will help. Kitty litter, pine shavings, etc. are good options. Fill the bag in the bucket until all liquid is absorbed to help prevent spills while getting rid of it. Pine shavings will also help if you plan to burn the waste away. Remember to dispose of it out that window!
Personal protection…
Your SHTF caregiver needs to protect themselves while in that room and also try to prevent the virus from getting into the rest of your home. Respiratory masks, isolation gowns, gloves, and perhaps disposable face shields are all needed in quantity. Your caregiver will be in and out of that sick room several times a day. These items need to be removed before leaving the room and disposed of just like the rest of the litter.
Checking patient progress…
You will need to keep an eye on your patient’s vitals to evaluate treatments. Have basic medical equipment on hand such as a blood pressure cuff, Stethoscope , thermometer, Otoscope , Tongue Depressors , etc. come to mind. Don’t forget to write it all down. Some generic medical tracking forms are available for download here for gold members.
In conclusion…
Keep the room isolated. Hang plastic over the door and make sure that what goes into that room never goes out through the rest of the home…use the window!
Be prepared for toilet issues. Do not bring your patient through the rest of your home to the bathroom. Dispose of human waste and other fluids out the window!
Keep it disposable. Dinner ware, protective gear, etc. must be disposable to avoid spreading disease to other members of the household. Never go into the room without protective clothing and never come out of the room wearing it. Into the trash can in the room and out the window!
Track progress with basic medical equipment and track it by writing it down. Manual options are preferred over electrical devices such as thermometers or blood pressure cuffs. Have plenty of disinfecting wipes on hand to clean these items regularly. Wipes go into the trash in the room and guess what…out the window it goes.
