What to buy for your home emergency kit if you're quarantined during the coronavirus outbreak

Skip the face masks and focus on food, water, and medical essentials.

As the novel coronavirus spreads, more people may be put under home quarantine.

Hundreds of US citizens evacuated from China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated, have undergone mandatory 14-day quarantines on military bases across the US. And others who were passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where at least 285 people tested positive for the virus, are in the middle of a two-week quarantine.

Thousands of others who have recently travelled to China are under a 14-day voluntary self-quarantine at home to see if they develop symptoms, as NBC News reported.

The CDC is recommending that people who are sick with respiratory disease symptoms voluntarily stay home, even as the agency acknowledges that these symptoms are still more likely to be from the flu than the novel coronavirus.

In the case of any survival emergency, the American Red Cross recommends keeping a supply of food, water, and household supplies like laundry detergent and diapers if you have small children.

Here's everything you should have in your home memergency kit in the case of a possible quarantine amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to the American Red Cross, the CDC, and other experts.

You should have a 14-day supply of food for everyone in your household. Focus on dry and canned goods that are easy to prepare.

Stock up on non-perishable food items.

World Health Organisation has hesitated to call the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, but some health experts say that it is.

The US Department of Homeland Security recommends stocking up enough food and water for two weeks before a pandemic strikes.

Dry goods like rice, pasta, beans, and oats should be the foundation of your stockpile, Alyssa Pike, registered dietitian and manager of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council, recently told Business Insider.

You should also stock up on canned foods that contain liquid, such as tomatoes, beans, and tuna, according to Pike. The excess liquid can be used to cook dried food like rice and pasta. (Make sure you have a can opener.)

And don't neglect comforting food items like chocolate and coffee, even if they're not strictly essential. As Business Insider recently reported, such items can make a big difference in your mental health and morale during a home quarantine.

Keep at least one gallon (3.8 litres) of water per day for each person — and pet — in your home, the American Red Cross recommends.

For a 14-day quarantine, you should have 14 gallons of water per person.

If you have access to untreated water, you will want to buy water purification tablets and personal water filters to make it safe to drink, as the Oregonian reported.

Make sure you have hygienic products like antibacterial soap, hand sanitiser, toilet paper, tissues, feminine care products, and diapers (nappies).

It may sound simple, but regular and thorough hand washing is one of the best and easiest ways to protect yourself from the coronavirus, according to the CDC.

So remember to include antibacterial soap and hand sanitiser in your home quarantine kit.

Don't forget hygiene items such as toilet paper, tissues, feminine care products, and diapers if you have small children in the household.

If possible, get a 30-day supply of your prescription medications.

Marguerite Neill, an infectious-disease expert at Brown University, told the New York Times that people should have at least a 30-day supply of their medications.

While many prescription drugs have quantity limits, you can ask your doctor to help you submit an exception form.

Maintain a first aid kit with supplies to treat common injuries.

You should have an at-home first aid kit to treat common injuries, including cuts, scrapes, swelling, sprains, strains and more, the American Red Cross recommends.

This kit should include things like antibiotic ointment packs, gauze, bandages, thermometers, scissors, tweezers, and an emergency blanket.

Take note of other medical supplies you might need, such as contact lenses or hearing aid batteries. And make sure you have over-the-counter medicines like pain relievers and cough and cold medicines.

If someone in your home uses a hearing aid, for example, the American Red Cross advises stocking up on extra batteries.

Other miscellaneous medical supplies might include glasses, contact lenses, or syringes.

Over-the-counter medicines you may want to have on hand include pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, vitamins, and fluids that contain electrolytes, according to the American Red Cross.

Federal authorities are advising Americans to skip the face masks, however, as they're not effective or necessary for the general public. The CDC only recommends masks for select groups: people in a region currently experiencing an outbreak, healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients, and anyone who experiences flu-like symptoms.

You may want to get copies of your health records.

Again, the novel coronavirus has not yet officially been called a pandemic.

But in the event it becomes one, the Department of Homeland Security recommends getting copies and maintaining electronic versions of health records from doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies.

Don't forget about your mental health.

Some people under home quarantine told the Associated Press that they have taken the opportunity to binge Netflix shows and read some books.

In the case of a home quarantine, your mental health should also be taken into account.

Make sure to have entertainment items on hand such as books, board games, and card games. The Red Cross suggests games and activities for children.

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