How Minnesotans Are Preparing for the ‘Toughest Winter Ever’

2020 has put us all through the wringer, and we can only imagine what the winter months of this global pandemic will look like. According to a survey done by OnePoll, seven out of 10 Americans are preparing for what could be the toughest winter we have ever had. And no, that isn't weather-related.

You could live in a state that doesn't see a flake of snow and still be in for what feels like the longest winter of the century. Of the 2,000 people surveyed, 75% said they were worried about a surge in COVID-19 as we get into the colder months, and 70% said they were worried their state would roll out another shelter-in-place order. Currently in Minnesota, we are still in a peacetime emergency situation until at least November 12th.

In preparation for what could happen, there are a few things that people tend to be stocking up on, not unlike the toilet paper fiasco of March.

1.  Face masks.

2.  Toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues.

3.  Vitamins/Things for the medicine cabinet.

4.  Canned goods.

5.  Flashlights and candles.

6.  Warm socks and Blankets.

All pretty basic things that we should technically be stocked with even if there isn't a global pandemic happening outside of our doorstep. The socks and blankets part of this list made sense to me from a cold Minnesotan standpoint, but apparently, for the rest of the country they are using the cozy items as sort of a mental health band-aid to make the chilly months a bit more bearable if stuck inside.

The study also found that time spent in quarantine this year has prompted home improvement projects to skyrocket. People took the time they had to stay home and used it to do routine maintenance that sometimes tends to slip through the cracks, doing things like fixing drafty windows, cleaning vents, and checking smoke detectors.

I don't think 2020 is quite done with us all yet, but the only way to get through it is to be as prepared as we can be, and be there for our neighbors when we can. Like we were all saying this past spring, "we are all in this together".