Pandemic Preparedness

With the recent hubbub about the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and now the issues associated with bringing infected patients across borders, I thought it might be a good time to pull together a thread on the subject of pandemic preparedness.

Obviously, these suggestions will have varying levels of efficacy depending on just what sort of pandemic is at work, but I think the information is a good general guideline that will help to minimize risk.

I’m using preparedness tips tailored specifically for a pandemic flu, as that illness is highly contagious. I figure if you’re prepared for something really contagious, then the less contagious ones will be somewhat covered by default.

The first step is one that hopefully a lot of people already have in place, and that is to have at the very minimum a 3-day supply of food and water. In a pandemic situation, ideally the supply will be even more substantial, from 2 weeks to a one-month supply or more.

The basics apply here; if you require prescription medication, try to build a stockpile of that, feminine hygiene products, basically anything that you would normally just ‘run out to the store’ to pick up, should already be supplied in your home. Having these things already will help you limit your contact with others who may be contagious.

Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly. If you cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue and dispose of it properly. Carry hand sanitizer.

If you have to leave the home for whatever reason, try to keep your distance from others. Hopefully you’ve stocked some of those disposable protective facemasks. At least if someone sneezes in your face they provide a small barrier! They’re better than nothing and very cost efficient! Go a step further and invest in N95 masks, they’re around $15 and a bit more effective than the basic sheet of fabric.

Make sure you’ve got at least a basic first aid kit. Then, start adding medicines to it. Cough medicine, fever medicine, anti-diarrhea and vitamins are all great things to stock, and easy to rotate, as they get old. Fluids with electrolytes are also important, and most of them are shelf stable. You can of course, make these home made as well.

Also, stock cleaning supplies. I’d say bleach would be the most versatile and effective against the most germs. And carry around the bleach wipes for convenience.

As with all prepping, it could be really easy to get paranoid and carried away. Don’t get swept up in hysteria, but remain vigilant!

Disclaimer: I’m not trying to fear monger or imply that the Ebola outbreak is going to become a global pandemic, and I hope no one takes this that way. I’ve just noticed that a lot of people on ATS seem to be really worried by this, so I thought it might be a good time to remind people that there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of exposure to any contagion.

I’ve cherry picked a few suggestions for this post, and am providing some links below so that you can all do more in-depth research on your own!

Flu.gov

Pandemic Checklist

ECDC


Also, just came across this other link, it's called 21 things for pandemic survival. Super helpful and quite thorough. 21 things for pandemic survival

Thanks - a few people already seem edgy about this

Excellent thread

A couple of basics for you.....

1. Vitamin C 1 Gram dose with L-Lysine also 1 Gram... 4 times a day... In general, that should thwart virtually everything and boost your immune system;
2. Stop drinking fluoridated water, soft drinks, and junk foods of all types;
3. Ultra cheap but very effective : Hydrogen Peroxide... also for virtually all washing surfaces to make viral free... Di-laurel Sulfate... found in all non organic shampoo....
4. 4 stage water filter...

and don't believe the hype and nonsense of pandemics.... last one was completely fabricated...
www.godlikeproductions.com...
Many of you may not be aware of this, but during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, we really dodged a bullet. The 2009 Swine Flu pandemic was originally PLANNED to be much worse then it was, but not due to swine flu... Instead it was going to take a drastic turn for the worst (~April 2009), with a CONTROLLED release of human-to-human airborne H5N1 bird-flu (~60% mortality rate) which was going to be overlapped with the Swine Flu pandemic at the time. This would of taken things to a completely new level.

The reason this didn't happen, turns out was pure chance... A company by the name of Baxter International Inc., was one of the top 3 companies supplying vaccinations for the Swine Flu virus during the swine flu pandemic. ... read more above
and search Jane Burgermeister.... she saved all of our arses..

a reply to: R_Clark

I take Vitamin C and Lysine regularly too, and have been trying to eliminate the fluoride as well. I didn't really delve into those sort of topics as I think they could honestly make their own thread. Tea Tree Oil and Lavender oil are also very effective for many conditions too.

I think that peroxide should be in everyone's first aid kit, but don't forget to rotate it out because I am pretty sure it loses some of its effectiveness as it ages.

I've been looking into water filters, still need to save up a bit of cash for that purchase, because I want to make sure I get a good one. That might end up being a family Christmas gift, I've been looking at both the Berkey and Lifesaver systems.

I'll research more on the person you mentioned, I've not heard much about that, it sounds interesting!

All poppycock. Godlike productions is a scorned website and I can see why. a reply to: R_Clark

Eating cheetos or not eating cheetos isn't going to keep anyone from getting the flu. Neither is drinking fluoridated water or not drinking it.. Let's not be absurd please.

originally posted by: AutumnWitch657
Eating cheetos or not eating cheetos isn't going to keep anyone from getting the flu. Neither is drinking fluoridated water or not drinking it.. Let's not be absurd please.

Thank you. Lot of pseudoscience going around.

Thanks. I'm in Atlanta and heading to Costco tomorrow morning. This list will help.

I haven't been this jumpy about something for a very long time (can't remember what...probably the 2009 thing you mentioned, R_Clark ), and the supplies we got then were rotated out but not backfilled lately.

In a pandemic shelter at home is typically the wisest move. At least at first. Sigh...

And the big colloidal silver thing?

I'd like to hope we could keep the thread on track and not delve into heated discussions about alternative health ideas... any way we could focus on proven, realistic efforts at preparing for a health scare?

Garlic supplements - namely 'Kyolic' - really does help to build your immune system. (As researchers of 'botanical medicine' at Harvard have discovered.) Not that this is going to protect you..

I also read somewhere that the most effective surface disinfectant is diluted chlorine bleach.


www.mayoclinic.org...

a reply to: nOraKat

Thanks for you post! Your link is nice, specific to Ebola and Marburg viruses and associated precautions.

It seems that avoiding contact is all around one of the best precautions one can take for most contagious diseases.