A friend in Brooklyn has Covid, what can I order to have sent to her?
December 26, 2021 11:52 AM Subscribe
A friend in Brooklyn has been diagnosed with Covid and will be isolating in her apartment for the next 10 days. What nice and useful thing could I have delivered to her house? Preferably something local. She lives in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
Are you looking to use something like Shipt, or did you want to call up smaller local businesses that might do delivery, or are you good with larger places like Amazon for things?
I am currently isolating, my husband was diagnosed, and I was negative on the 24th, but I am pretty sure I am sick now. We were testing to get on a plane so our house was pretty devoid of fresh food. I can tell you I am feeling wiped out physically, and emotionally, because there were a whole lot of things that went south with that positive test result.
From a drugstore like CVS, I would want the pulse oximeter, some pedialyte, mucinex, and cough syrup, perhaps lozenges as well.
From a local place, I want fresh salad/produce! I want something prepped, like I said I am currently exhausted. Pizza is good, but local place pizza. In Brooklyn, she has so many more options of places that do their own delivery than I do out here in the 'burbs. That said, I have retained my sense of smell & taste so far, if she is getting symptoms, and can't really taste anything, maybe look for foods that are crunchy or otherwise interesting texture-wise?
What am I doing for the next ten days? I picked up my knitting again, maybe there is a crafty gift you could send that doesn't take up much space? Additionally, I am going to see if there are friends in the area that could drop off bird seed, but this is specific to my situation: I got my husband (and the cats!) a birdfeeder with a one-way mirror, and we need seed for that. Other ideas are really going to depend on her apartment -can she bake? Send ingredients to make pretzels, or bread, or some other finicky food that requires a lot of time? Watercolour pencils, and cardstock to drawn on?
Wonderful to see people thinking of others for stuff like this!
posted by kellyblah at 12:20 PM on December 26, 2021 [7 favorites]
I am currently isolating, my husband was diagnosed, and I was negative on the 24th, but I am pretty sure I am sick now. We were testing to get on a plane so our house was pretty devoid of fresh food. I can tell you I am feeling wiped out physically, and emotionally, because there were a whole lot of things that went south with that positive test result.
From a drugstore like CVS, I would want the pulse oximeter, some pedialyte, mucinex, and cough syrup, perhaps lozenges as well.
From a local place, I want fresh salad/produce! I want something prepped, like I said I am currently exhausted. Pizza is good, but local place pizza. In Brooklyn, she has so many more options of places that do their own delivery than I do out here in the 'burbs. That said, I have retained my sense of smell & taste so far, if she is getting symptoms, and can't really taste anything, maybe look for foods that are crunchy or otherwise interesting texture-wise?
What am I doing for the next ten days? I picked up my knitting again, maybe there is a crafty gift you could send that doesn't take up much space? Additionally, I am going to see if there are friends in the area that could drop off bird seed, but this is specific to my situation: I got my husband (and the cats!) a birdfeeder with a one-way mirror, and we need seed for that. Other ideas are really going to depend on her apartment -can she bake? Send ingredients to make pretzels, or bread, or some other finicky food that requires a lot of time? Watercolour pencils, and cardstock to drawn on?
Wonderful to see people thinking of others for stuff like this!
posted by kellyblah at 12:20 PM on December 26, 2021 [7 favorites]
If she doesn't have them, pulse oximeter, thermometer, tylenol, tissues, instant soup/ broth mix, lemonade or other drink mix, lots of cough drops, an electric kettle, DVDs of videos that are easy to watch or a streaming subscription. Get numbers for local Chinese and Thai(Tom Yum) restaurants for hot & sour soups, noodles, vegetables, etc.
posted by theora55 at 12:49 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 12:49 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
I would search the delivery apps by address and send her fresh juice and soup from a local restaurant (healthy places and Mexican spots have great choices on both counts.) Or a big bowl of ramen and large tea.
posted by kapers at 1:14 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by kapers at 1:14 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
Heating pad or hot water bottle, as she will want to have her windows open. Sleepwear with a hood. Big soft bed socks.
Air purifier with filters.
Junk fiction of her particular genre. DVD movies
Comfort food of the kind that isn't expected to have much flavour other than sweet or salty, such as mashed potatoes (not garlic) or sweet biscuits like plain sugar ones. Chicken soup.
Puzzle toys of the kind you could play with while in bed, or on the couch. Think of one piece toys with no parts to lose, like the rubic's cube where you have to fiddle with it to find the algorithm to solve it, get the boats across the harbour etc.
posted by Jane the Brown at 1:27 PM on December 26, 2021
Air purifier with filters.
Junk fiction of her particular genre. DVD movies
Comfort food of the kind that isn't expected to have much flavour other than sweet or salty, such as mashed potatoes (not garlic) or sweet biscuits like plain sugar ones. Chicken soup.
Puzzle toys of the kind you could play with while in bed, or on the couch. Think of one piece toys with no parts to lose, like the rubic's cube where you have to fiddle with it to find the algorithm to solve it, get the boats across the harbour etc.
posted by Jane the Brown at 1:27 PM on December 26, 2021
When I was sick, I had an upset stomach and was grateful for ginger ale, ginger tea, bananas, and saltines.
Throat Coat tea from Traditional Medicinals is great for a sore throat.
I had an old, shitty thermometer and was grateful to replace it with a new thermometer that gives readings in just a few seconds.
posted by toastedcheese at 1:36 PM on December 26, 2021
Throat Coat tea from Traditional Medicinals is great for a sore throat.
I had an old, shitty thermometer and was grateful to replace it with a new thermometer that gives readings in just a few seconds.
posted by toastedcheese at 1:36 PM on December 26, 2021
Best answer: Pulse oximeter
I had an old, shitty thermometer and was grateful to replace it with a new thermometer that gives readings in just a few seconds.
tell her to call the NYC covid hotline, the city will actually send her a care package including a pulse oximeter and thermometer for free!
posted by windbox at 2:13 PM on December 26, 2021 [10 favorites]
I had an old, shitty thermometer and was grateful to replace it with a new thermometer that gives readings in just a few seconds.
tell her to call the NYC covid hotline, the city will actually send her a care package including a pulse oximeter and thermometer for free!
posted by windbox at 2:13 PM on December 26, 2021 [10 favorites]
Response by poster: These are all very useful suggestions, and please keep them coming.
So far she’s symptom free, but that NYC Covid care package is very helpful to know about (link here).
posted by Kattullus at 2:53 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
So far she’s symptom free, but that NYC Covid care package is very helpful to know about (link here).
posted by Kattullus at 2:53 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm getting over it and I went between wanting salty, spicy and sweet things. Chicken broth tasted good as did ginger tea. I had plenty of Christmas cookies in the house to cover the sweet.
posted by kathrynm at 3:48 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by kathrynm at 3:48 PM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
I personally would be happy to receive any or all of these items in a Sickie Care Package:
simpler pattern coloring books and a small set of markers
Gatorade (I prefer it to pedialyte - I personally favor blue, because it amuses me to guzzle something that looks like antifreeze but most definitely is not)
Campbell's Soup on the Go - it costs more than a regular can of soup, but the convenience-factor is sooooo lovely
an electric kettle, if she doesn't have one already
cocoa mix, because warm drinks are appreciated
tissues, paper towels, tp
a soft fleecy blanket (queen size at smallest, for good adult-sized comfort-swaddling)
a few pairs of wool socks and a good pair of slippers
I don't know any details of the area she lives in, so can't offer location-specific suggestions.
If it were possible to have multiple deliveries - say, one every three days - that would also be nice, because a) surprise b) break in routine c) reminder that a friend is thinking of me.
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 3:49 PM on December 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
simpler pattern coloring books and a small set of markers
Gatorade (I prefer it to pedialyte - I personally favor blue, because it amuses me to guzzle something that looks like antifreeze but most definitely is not)
Campbell's Soup on the Go - it costs more than a regular can of soup, but the convenience-factor is sooooo lovely
an electric kettle, if she doesn't have one already
cocoa mix, because warm drinks are appreciated
tissues, paper towels, tp
a soft fleecy blanket (queen size at smallest, for good adult-sized comfort-swaddling)
a few pairs of wool socks and a good pair of slippers
I don't know any details of the area she lives in, so can't offer location-specific suggestions.
If it were possible to have multiple deliveries - say, one every three days - that would also be nice, because a) surprise b) break in routine c) reminder that a friend is thinking of me.
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 3:49 PM on December 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
Hi, I have omicron. I've been lurking on a lot of online spaces for Covid positive people and here's what seems to be the most effective/appreciated by people with the virus:
- Pulse oximeter, as others have said. As well as the obvious benefits, having one on hand gives you peace of mind. Some people are experiencing a lot of anxiety, depression and even panic attacks with Covid.
- Throat numbing spray and lozenges. Cepacol or Betadine are great.
- Sudafed and mucinex.
- Advil and Tylenol and/or Excedrin migraine. The headache and sore throat pain are persistent and hard to beat. Many of us are mixing acetaminophen and ibuprofen to find relief.
- Eye drops to keep eyes moist. Eye soreness and extreme dryness is a common symptom.
- Listerine original mouthwash.
- Zinc lozenges. Vitamins D & C.
- Voltarin. Back pain is another symptom a lot of us are experiencing.
- Humidifier.
- Ice packs, especially facial/eye ice packs.
- Vick's Vap-o-rub.
- Gatorade or other sports drinks. Diarrhea seems to be common, as is dehydration.
- Soup and other liquid or soft foods. Comforting warm drinks.
- Neck massager. I have one and it's been so lovely. I can put it on my neck or my back.
posted by Stoof at 10:41 AM on December 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
- Pulse oximeter, as others have said. As well as the obvious benefits, having one on hand gives you peace of mind. Some people are experiencing a lot of anxiety, depression and even panic attacks with Covid.
- Throat numbing spray and lozenges. Cepacol or Betadine are great.
- Sudafed and mucinex.
- Advil and Tylenol and/or Excedrin migraine. The headache and sore throat pain are persistent and hard to beat. Many of us are mixing acetaminophen and ibuprofen to find relief.
- Eye drops to keep eyes moist. Eye soreness and extreme dryness is a common symptom.
- Listerine original mouthwash.
- Zinc lozenges. Vitamins D & C.
- Voltarin. Back pain is another symptom a lot of us are experiencing.
- Humidifier.
- Ice packs, especially facial/eye ice packs.
- Vick's Vap-o-rub.
- Gatorade or other sports drinks. Diarrhea seems to be common, as is dehydration.
- Soup and other liquid or soft foods. Comforting warm drinks.
- Neck massager. I have one and it's been so lovely. I can put it on my neck or my back.
posted by Stoof at 10:41 AM on December 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: After making some discreet enquiries, I opted for ordering basket of treats from a local chocolatier.
posted by Kattullus at 10:01 AM on December 28, 2021
posted by Kattullus at 10:01 AM on December 28, 2021
Best answer: sorry I'm late, but as far as a local yummy place, Ix Cafe on Lincoln Road has delicious soups, sandwiches, omelettes, baked goods, cacao/coffees. NY Times wrote about the place in 2019 and the chef's pepian soup in particular -- dark, rich, hearty, delicious for winter. They can deliver or do pickup outdoors pretty easily.
(I'm hit with the NYT paywall on that article, but I've read the article in its clipped-newsprint, pasted-on-the-wall version while waiting to pick up a yummy cacao drink.)
posted by cluebucket at 2:01 PM on December 28, 2021
(I'm hit with the NYT paywall on that article, but I've read the article in its clipped-newsprint, pasted-on-the-wall version while waiting to pick up a yummy cacao drink.)
posted by cluebucket at 2:01 PM on December 28, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by todolos at 12:04 PM on December 26, 2021 [8 favorites]