The current pandemic situation has caused a lot of changes in the way people do things nowadays. This includes how people access hospitals and clinics. The truth of the matter is, hospitals and clinics are currently swamped with patients and many of them don’t have the capacity to handle patients especially those who have tested positive with the COVID-19 virus. And since not everyone needs to be hospitalized, many patients are instead ordered to quarantine themselves at home until they get better.

If you or your loved ones need to set up home quarantine for COVID-19, then you need to be prepared and have the proper medical supplies and equipment. Here are just some important medical equipment you need to set up the home quarantine.

Private Room

While not an equipment, the first thing that is important to establish is that the patient needs to have their own room so that they can keep away from the rest of the family. Social distancing should be in effect with at least one meter apart when having to enter and exit the room of the COVID-19 patient. This is to ensure that no one else in the household can get infected. It is also imperative that people limit the entry and exit of the room and the quarantined person should only step out if they need to go to the comfort room. It is also probably best if they are in a room with direct access to the comfort room so that they will not need to interact with anyone else.

Medical Mask and Face Shields

If you are taking care of someone who has recently been affected by COVID-19 and must stay at home, then a face mask and face shield is definitely important. Whenever anyone enters the private room of the patient, both the patient and the person entering should be wearing a face mask. It is best to use disposable surgical masks so that you don’t have to deal with constantly washing masks every time you come into contact with the patient. Face shields are a great added layer of protection but we do suggest you wash the front of the face shield after every use to ensure no virus is lingering on it.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

In some cases, you may also want to have PPE available. Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as “PPE”, is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits.

Sanitizer and Disinfectant

The one thing you should have around is sanitizer and disinfectant. It’s best to make sure that you always sanitize and disinfect the room and any surface that may come into contact with the patient. This is to ensure that you can kill any germs or viruses and stop its spread. One can never be overly cautious in this situation with cleanliness and hygiene.

Oxygen Tanks and Concentrators

These are great to be on standby as well as COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease. This means that should the patient suffer loss of oxygen, they may need to have an oxygen tank or oxygen respirator to help them breathe by directing oxygen directly into the patient’s body therefore helping their body sustain the right amount of oxygen level in their blood to keep functioning. While this may only be needed in severe cases, it is good to have this handy in an emergency.

Pulse Oximetry

With oxygen saturation levels an issue for COVID-19 patients, you will also need equipment to monitor that. This is where a pulse oximetry would be handy. Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive and painless test that measures your oxygen saturation level, or the oxygen levels in your blood. It can rapidly detect even small changes in how efficiently oxygen is being carried to the extremities furthest from the heart, including the legs and the arms. Being able to monitor this can tell you if the condition of the COVID-19 patient changes for the better or for the worse.

These are just some of the basic medical supplies or medical equipment you may need should you need to set up a home quarantine for a COVID-19 patient. This will help you prepare and be ready for any emergency situation. If you need help with the equipment or need a place to buy them, you can always visit Bambang, Sta Crus and visit Medical Depot. They are your one-stop-shop for all you medical equipment and supplies needs. You may also visit their website at medicaldepot.com.ph and view their wide array of products they offer.