As soon as news traveled about the coronavirus quarantine, people started hoarding whatever items they thought they needed. It is an understandable response to a very uncertain situation, but, frankly, not only is it a waste of money, it deprives people who also need the resources.
Grace Carry/Getty Images
There are tons of posts out there telling you what you need for COVID-19, but this post is to inform you about things you should neither buy nor do. Did you know government officials actually don’t recommend stockpiling on supplies like face masks and latex gloves?
Toilet Paper
This was one item we couldn’t understand why people were stockpiling on. It doesn’t do anything to protect you from getting the coronavirus, so why were so many people buying loads and loads of it?
Grace Carry/Getty Images
Even if you did catch the virus, you wouldn’t be able to go through the 60 rolls of toilet paper you bought in two weeks (unless you develop an extreme case of diarrhea). The sad thing is, it became a cycle. People who didn’t need it stockpiled on toilet paper, supply became low, so people who need it also stockpiled for fear it might run out of supply the next time they went to the supermarket.
Don’t Buy What You Won’t Even Eat
One thing you should never stockpile on is food you won’t eat even in normal circumstances, like meals you haven’t even tried. Not only is this a potential waste of money, you’re also contributing to food waste in the country.
Leonid/stock.adobe.com
Only stock up on foods you know you’ll eat and enjoy. It helps to make a meal plan that’s good for two weeks. Meal planning is not only a good way to save money, but it also ensures that you won’t be stocking up on things you didn’t actually need.
N95 Medical Masks
The CDC has repeatedly mentioned that N95 are not recommended for public use, and yet supply was very low because people kept on hoarding the masks. Frontline medical workers must be given priority for these masks as they are the ones who are in constant contact with COVID-19 patients.
Don MacKinnon/Getty Images
Recently, the CDC recommended that the public use cloth masks instead. Cloth masks may not be as effective as N95 masks, but they still do the job of slowing the spread of the virus because it still restricts how far the virus can travel.
Alcohol-free Sanitizer
Sanitizers can indeed help protect you from the virus, but there’s one type that doesn’t, and those are alcohol-free sanitizers. Instead, the CDC recommends buying hand sanitizers that have an alcohol between 60% and 90%.
Xsandra/Getty Images
Hand sanitizers may seem like they work better than soap and water, but that is not the case. Washing your hands with soap and water is the most effective way to kill hand sanitizer, but if you’re on-the-go and can’t wash your hands, alcohol-based sanitizer is a good alternative.
Tylenol
Around early March of 2020, Oliver Véran, the French minister of health, advised people to take Tylenol instead of Ibuprofen. One study suggested that Ibuprofen just makes COVID worse, but other health officials have said that there is very limited information about the correlation between Ibuprofen and coronavirus.
George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images
There has been little evidence to support the claim that Ibuprofen was linked to coronavirus and kidney problems. Until official studies come out and are backed by strong evidence, doctors are still okay with their patients taking Ibuprofen.
Not Just Non-Perishables
A two-week stock may force you to buy only canned goods, but that shouldn’t be the case. In fact, the World Health Organization recommends prioritizing fresh produce. Fresh produce like fruits and vegetables give us a variety of nutrients that strengthen our immune system.
Phillippe Desmazes/AFP via Getty Images
When buying groceries that’s meant to last two weeks, include perishables that have a longer shelf life, such as oranges, apples, eggs, bananas, cheese, and bread. You won’t get all the nutrients you need by living off of canned goods and pasta.
Latex Gloves
Just like the N95 masks, leave latex gloves to our frontline healthcare workers. Gloves won’t honestly offer you any quarantine benefits. According to Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, latex gloves aren’t meant for day-to-day use.
Chee Gin Tan/Getty Images
Aside from gloves ripping with everyday use, they would still pick up the same amount of germs as you would when you use your hands. It doesn’t protect you from COVID if you also don’t wash your hands often.
Vitamins and Supplements
People are out buying vitamins and supplements that claim to boost the immune system and fight off COVID, especially vitamins C and D. However, Michael Starnbach, Harvard microbiologist, says there is no evidence to support these claims.
Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images
The FDA does not recommend taking dietary supplements to boost the immune system because many of these are unregulated. According to Dr. Starnbach, an “over-boosted” immune system might actually lead to an auto-immune disorder.
DIY Hand Sanitizers
When news of the coronavirus broke out, people started buying tons of hand sanitizer. In fact, hand sanitizer sales went up by 313% by the end of February 2020. Because of this, more and more companies have started making DIY hand sanitizers.
Sergei Bobylev/TASS via Getty Images
The World Health Organization recommends an ethanol content of at least 96% if you plan to make your own hand sanitizer. But even if you could get the percentage right, the contents must be correctly mixed. If not, it could pose a risk to your skin and health.
Cleaning Products
It actually doesn’t matter if you have expensive cleaning products or not; just don’t overstock. The best way to truly keep your house clean is to regularly clean it with regular household supplies. Using the most expensive products don’t actually make a difference.
Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
At the end of the day, what matters is that you use your cleaning supplies properly and you keep your house clean. When cleaning, pay attention to high-touch areas like doorknobs, sink handles, and stair rails.
Antibiotics
In March alone, Time reported an increase of 65% in antibiotic sales. However, the WHO has made it clear that antibiotics don’t do anything to fight off coronavirus. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. Plus, the more you irresponsibly use antibiotics, the higher the chances are of bacteria developing antibiotic resistance.
Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images
So, why are doctors giving antibiotics for COVID patients? Well, simply put, it’s for those who developed bacterial infections due to their body being weakened from the virus. Unless your doctor actually prescribes antibiotics, don’t take them.
Air Filters
Air filters don’t do anything to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Because coronavirus particles are too small, when they go through an air filter, they do not get caught and simply continue to pass through.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Even if air filters contain UVC, or so they claim to have, that “suck the virus”, this is also not true. Besides, even if they could suck up the virus, it would take around 15 minutes for them to trap the microbes. By then, most people would already have caught it.
Panic Buying
I know you feel a sense of panic from listening to the news, but as much as possible, avoid panic buying and remain calm. Stock up on things you know you will need—but don’t hoard—to avoid taking as many trips as possible to the supermarket.
Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
Only go to the supermarket when you’re running low on everyday necessities. Also, only go when the store is not filled with people. This avoids the risk of coming into contact with someone who might potentially have the virus.
Water Purifiers
There are some water purifying companies who claim that their purifiers can filter out the virus, but this is honestly just another smart marketing tactic. There is no evidence to back up this claim. Save yourself some money and don’t buy a new water purifier.
Enrique Ramos López/EyeEm via Getty Images
The CDC say the water systems that we have, even the ones that filter tap water, are already doing a good job of filtering potential traces of the virus. If you plan on buying a water purifier for the taste, then by all means go ahead, but there’s no need to buy one if it’s for “filtering out” COVID particles.
Spending Your Emergency Funds
Technically, this pandemic is what you would consider an emergency. But sad to say, this is something that will last for many months, so blowing all of your emergency funds will only land you in deep waters by the time all of this is over.
the_burtons/Getty Images
It is recommended to have at least half a years’ worth of expenses as your emergency fund. Given that we are living in uncertain times, now is a good time to start keeping an emergency fund if you don’t have one. No matter how small the amount is, it will still help.
Plane Tickets
No matter how tempting it may be, hold off on purchasing inexpensive airline tickets. Many airline companies are now offering cheap tickets because of the reduced number of flights. However, choosing to travel at a time like this comes with risks.
Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
Traveling right now increases your chances of being exposed to COVID. Additionally, if your airline happens to cancel flights while you’re still out of the country, you will be stuck in whatever country you’re currently in and may not be able to leave for a couple of days, or worse, months.
Event Venues
Many events are being rescheduled now due to country regulations, so, many are setting events at a date where they think it’ll be safe enough by then. All events are now most likely rescheduled for sometime from July until September.
miodgrag ignjatovic/Getty Images
Since rescheduled events are given priority, it would be nearly impossible for you to find a schedule within the next 3 months. Try to avoid scheduling any events yet as times are uncertain and it is hard to tell whether they will be delayed or cancelled once more.
Immune-boosting Food
A lot of companies are making a smart marketing move by claiming their products can boost the immune system. However, our immune system is made up of several organs so it takes more than food to fight off the coronavirus.
Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
To truly boost your immune system, you need a healthy diet, good sleep and proper exercise. Of course, you can also buy a lot of healthy foods, but don’t exclude it to immune-boosting foods.
Essential Oils
There is no scientific basis behind the claim that essential oils can help with the coronavirus. The FDA and Federal Trade Commission even put forward joint letters against seven essential oil companies.
Isabel Pavia/Getty Images
Products like oils, lotions, aromatherapy, sprays are not backed up by science. Oils are rather pricey, so it’s better you spend your money somewhere else. The point is, you’ll know when a product is what they claim to be if it is government-endorsed.
Leave Your Stocks Be
Sometime March 2020, the stock market went 20% lower than it did in February. It doesn’t come as a surprise that stocks dipped during quarantine, so don’t sell yours out of fear. It may seem like a good idea to reduce the stocks you have, but it will come with a price later on.
Andrify Onufriyenko/Getty Images
People invest in stocks by purchasing at a low price and sell it for a much higher value. You’re doing the opposite of it if you sell your stocks because values are dipping and you’re panicking. Stay calm and don’t sell your stocks just yet.