Family preparedness without panic.

The principle: pre-make the decisions

The most useful preparedness work happens months before you need it, when no one is sick and nothing is urgent. The goal is to write down decisions you would otherwise have to make under stress — what counts as "stay home," who calls the doctor, where the medication kit lives, what the household does if a vulnerable person is exposed.

Households with infants

• Know that any rectal temperature ≥100.4°F (38°C) under 3 months is an immediate evaluation — not a "wait and see."
• Keep a working thermometer, infant fever-reducer guidance from your pediatrician, and the after-hours pediatric line in your phone.
• Limit close contact with adults who have active respiratory symptoms during the first months.
• Keep a humidifier and saline nasal drops on hand for typical viral seasons.

Households with older adults

• Maintain current vaccinations: seasonal influenza, RSV (per current recommendations), pneumococcal, shingles, COVID per current guidance.
• Pre-discuss a "telehealth or urgent care?" rule with the older adult and their primary clinician — knowing the threshold reduces hesitation.
• Keep a written medication list (with doses) accessible. ER staff need it in minutes, not hours.
• Mask thoughtfully during surges, especially in indoor crowded settings.

Pregnancy

• Know that fever ≥100.4°F at any point in pregnancy is a reason to call the obstetric provider.
• Be aware of preeclampsia warning signs: severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, upper abdominal pain.
• Have the L&D triage number saved, not just the clinic line.

Immunocompromised members

• Coordinate ahead with the specialist about thresholds — many immunocompromised patients have a lower threshold for "call us first."
• Keep a small "go bag" with insurance, ID, current medication list, and a recent specialist note.
• Aggressive ventilation (HEPA, open windows when possible) lowers indoor risk meaningfully.

Household supplies, calmly

• Thermometers (one digital oral / temporal, plus rectal for infants if applicable).
• Acetaminophen and ibuprofen, age-appropriate dosing card.
• Oral rehydration salts.
• A small supply of N95 or KN95 masks per household member.
• Rapid antigen tests, stored according to package instructions.
• Pulse oximeter — useful for monitoring respiratory illness, especially in higher-risk members.
• HEPA air purifier in the most-shared room.
• Two weeks of any chronic medication, plus a list of refill timing.

The "household is exposed" playbook

1. Identify the index case and isolate as much as is realistic.
2. Mask in shared rooms; ventilate aggressively; wash hands often.
3. Watch the most vulnerable member's symptoms most closely.
4. Test on day 3–4 of exposure if symptoms appear, not on day 0.
5. Identify the threshold ahead of time at which you will call telehealth.

Communication and roles

In a stressed household, ambiguity costs minutes. Pick — calmly, in advance — who calls the clinician, who watches the kids, who runs the supply trip. Write it down. The plan does not have to be elaborate. It just has to exist.

Related: Preparedness Hub · Respiratory Exposure · Emergency Warning Signs.