Have you given your first-aid kit a Covid-19 upgrade yet?

Just like our wardrobes have been upgraded with masks to suit the Covid-19 world, even our first-aid kit needs to be tailored to the current times!
first-aid kit
Ensure that your first-aid kit is upgraded and updated for no last-minute hassles. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Team Health Shots Updated: 23 Aug 2021, 16:10 pm IST
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New times call for new ways! And amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s all the more feasible for everyone to upgrade their basic first-aid kit to include items that can come in handy in emergency situations related to the virus. A well-stocked first-aid kit can always help you respond to emergencies more effectively.

Thermometer, adhesive dressings, antiseptic solution, antiseptic wipes, gauze, bandages, cotton swabs, antacid, anti diarrhea medication and more such items are common arsenal it comes to a first-aid box. But with the emergence and spread of Covid-19, it is becoming increasingly important to have some ready-to-use aid for emergency time.

first-aid kit
Keep an oximeter handy. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
How to have an effective first-aid kit

1. Keep at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your
car.

2. Having a fully stocked first-aid kit is the key to being prepared for
emergencies and injuries, so it’s important that yours is properly stocked.

3. Tailor it to your family’s unique needs.

4. Check expiration dates and replace any out-of-date medicines.

first-aid kit
Keep your basic medicines for cold, cough, stomach and head related issues also handy. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Here’a list of new items that you can add to your first-aid kit:

1. Pulse oximeter: The first item that you can refresh your first-aid kit is pulse oximeter. Pulse oximetry is a test used to measure the oxygen level (oxygen saturation) of the blood. It is an easy, painless measure of how well oxygen is being sent to parts of your body furthest from your heart, such as the arms and legs. If you have an emergency that requires monitoring of your SpO2 levels, a finger tip pulse oximeter will be a value addition to the first-aid kit.

2. BP Monitor: Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is key to staying healthy. Therefore, monitoring yours on a regular basis can be a life-saver. You can stock up your first-aid kit with a Blood Pressure Monitor. Long-standing high blood pressure can cause damage to the small vessels in your body and also cause the heart to thicken and stiffen. Checking your blood pressure can help you and your doctor figure out if you need medications or if your medications are working.

3. Oxygen concentrators or cans: The need for oxygen at home and in hospital was more pronounced than ever during the Covid-19 second wave in India. People stocked up on concentrators and cans at home, and while these may be important, they need to be used under medical supervision. A portable oxygen can is essentially handy for high altitude sickness treatment or oxygen therapy at home to help the body fight ill-effects of the city’s pollution.

Also Read: Debunking Covid-19 myths: Do not use portable oxygen spray cans to treat hypoxia

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first-aid kit
Portable oxygen cans are easy to carry and take care of oxygen levels on the go. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

4. Pocket CPR Mask: During the life-saving technique of CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), the chest compression squeezes the stomach, and it is common for patients to vomit by reflex. Now pocket CPR masks are being designed in a way where a one-way valve that stops vomit, blood, and body fluids in their tracks, keeping your mouth isolated and vomit-free. For a travel or portable first-aid kit, a pocket CPR mask is a must.

Remember ladies, staying prepared is better than a last-minute rush. So, rush now and upgrade your first-aid kit.

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