Some things are like our wallet and cell phone, that we never forget about taking with us when we walk outside the house. These are the two most important things and it seems like the greatest mistake ever to forget them back at home. But now you should add a few more things to your list of key commodities when dealing with the ongoing pandemic. COVID-19 has changed our lives and our priorities in many ways.
10 Must-Have Things To Have During The Pandemic
This article has a compilation of 10 essentials that everyone could have in their house to keep you safe, hygienic and comfortable.
Hand Soap
While hand sanitizing is a great way to disinfect, the WHO says that it is more effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 than washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Face Mask
At this stage, face mask have become part of our daily life. Make sure the mask is layered, comfortable, and comes with a nose piece and adjustable earloop. Market is now filled with various types of face masks for men, women and kids. You can choose a few sets of face masks depending upon where you would be using them
Hand Sanitizer
The most effective way to eliminate disease-causing pathogens is to wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Sanitizer is the second-best alternative in the absence of that.
Trash Bag
Trash bags at your home might sound like a mundane thing. They are not only essential for removing your household waste but also to responsibly dispose off use-and-throw masks, tissues and paper towels.
Thermometers
You will need a thermometer in your house before another possible lockdown. It is a handy device that will help measure your body temperature at home.
Tissues
These can be used for various purposes, like coughing and sneezing, cleaning doors, clothing, and elevator buttons.
Paper towels
Towels are another essential household that you want to ensure that you have in your home.
Cleaning wipes and disinfectant spray
One of those things that are necessary in keeping surfaces clean is a set of cleaning wipes and spray. Choose absorbent cleaning wipes that can be washed and reused. YOu can also invest in a disinfectant solution that can be used on commonly used surfaces like doorknobs and gates.
Insulated Flask
An insulated flask would be of great assistance to keep the water or other beverages hot for a longer amount of time. An insulated water bottle allows you to stay hydrated at all times, while you can also use it to sip warm liquids while you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
Brass Hygiene key
It is easy to open doors, press buttons & pull levers with the ergonomic design of this safety key. The safe way to use public tools, doors, and buttons is by using a hygiene device.
While we wait for the situation to get better, it is always better to plan for your home quarantine. Shop for all these necessities that will help you stay safe at home.
October marks Menopause Awareness Month, with World Menopause Day on 18 October.
South Asian women often face earlier menopause, more severe symptoms, and higher health risks.
Cultural stigma and silence leave many women isolated and unsupported.
The Sattva Collective CIC is the UK’s first organisation focused on South Asian women and menopause.
Founded by coach Kiran Singh, it provides safe spaces, resources, and monthly Midlife Circles.
Plans underway for a Midlife & Menopause Summit in October 2026.
Awareness is key: “Silence leads to shame. Awareness leads to empowerment.”
This October, the world observes Menopause Awareness Month, with World Menopause Day on 18th October. For many South Asian women, this is more than a health milestone, it is an opportunity to finally challenge silence, stigma, and cultural barriers that have silenced generations before us.
Menopause is universal. But its impact is not. Research shows that South Asian women often enter menopause earlier, with more severe symptoms and higher risks of diabetes and heart disease. Yet in many South Asian communities, menopause remains an unspoken subject, whispered about in kitchens, dismissed as “just part of ageing,” or hidden entirely.
The result? Women endure not only the physical changes of menopause but also isolation and shame.
The Sattva Collective CIC: A first of its kind
The Sattva Collective CIC (.www.thesattvacollective.org) is the UK’s first Community Interest Company dedicated specifically to South Asian women, midlife, and menopause. Founded by Kiran Singh (https://kiransinghuk.com/), herself a certified Midlife Lifestyle Coach and Menopause Wellness Coach, the organisation exists to create safe, culturally sensitive spaces where women can access education, share experiences, and reclaim dignity in midlife.
Through monthly Midlife Circle meet-ups, an online resource hub, and regular awareness campaigns, The Sattva Collective is making sure South Asian women know: you are not alone.
Looking forward, the organisation will host the Midlife & Menopause Summit in October 2026, timed with the Menopause Awareness Month, to bring together practitioners, experts, and women’s voices in a landmark event.
The stigma within
In South Asian families, women who express dissatisfaction in midlife are often told: “But your husband is a good man. Why complain?” Or: “It’s just ageing, everyone goes through it.”
But these dismissals hide a deeper truth: that emotional unavailability, loneliness, and invisibility are just as real as physical symptoms.
By naming these realities, The Sattva Collective empowers women to stop apologising for their needs and start demanding recognition, respect, and resources.
Awareness as empowerment
This Menopause Awareness Month, South Asian women deserve to be seen not as a cultural afterthought, but as central voices in the global conversation.
As Singh notes: “Silence leads to shame. Awareness leads to empowerment. When we speak, we break the cycle for the next generation.”
Moving forward
Eastern Eye readers are invited to support this movement by:
- Talking to mothers, sisters, and daughters about menopause.
- Sharing resources within families and community groups.
-Supporting organisations like The Sattva Collective CIC that are leading change.
This October, let us break the generational silence around menopausebecause every South Asian woman deserves to navigate midlife with dignity, confidence, and compassion.
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