Pandemic Preparation and Practice

Taking precautions to prevent contracting, and spreading, the flu and a virus


Whenever a new virus is announced, a bell goes off in my head to think "this could be the one that gets out of control". Then I review my pandemic preparations AND plan my actions.

At the time of this post (February 27, 2020), the Coronavirus is headline news. Globally, over 81,000 people are infected and over 2700 have died. The Ebola Virus (2014-2016) claimed over 28,000 cases with over 11,000 deaths. The WHO says the CoronaVirus risk is high but the precautions and preparations are the same.

Isn't it good to be able to predict when the next disease will arrive?

Of all the things that could cause a wide-spread Public Emergency, a virus is the most probable. It has no boundaries. It's easy to spread (airborne or physical contact) and may not be obvious until diagnosed properly. "Common Cold-Like Symptoms" could be the disguise of a more sinister bug that, in less than a year, could cause the deaths of many around the globe.

Brief Videos of Things to do to Prevent Virus and Flu:

READ ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE MORE AT RISK

Immune-Boosting Supplements to Fight Cold, Flu & Virus:
Inadequate nutrition is among the most common causes of a weakened immune system. Supporting optimal immune function begins with consuming the essential vitamins, minerals, and other key nutrients necessary for immune health. When our diets fail to provide the necessary nutrients, the next best option is to consume quality supplements. Here are some of the top nutrients and How They Support Immune Health.
[C, B6, D, Magnesium, Zinc]    [A, C, D3, Zinc & Probiotics]    [A, B5, C, D]
Hydroxychloroquine, developed in the 1950s from chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, is registered in around 60 countries under trade names such as Plaquenil, Quensyl and Plaquinol. It was discovered during efforts to synthesise alternatives to quinine as anti-malarials. It is a synthetically manufactured drug, developed based on the chemical structure of quinine. It is NOT quinine. There are mixed positions that it is beneficial to treat a virus.
[Blog Link]

Here is the official Center for Disease Control advice on avoiding a virus:
Protection Against Germs on Everyday Surfaces We Touch:
Think, for a minute, how often we come into contact with things that others have touched; elevator buttons, door handles, shopping carts, door bells, stairway handles, telephones, keyboards/mice, handshakes, counter tops, appliances, toilets, toilet stall doors and paper holders, sink knobs, hand dryer buttons, utensils at food bars . . . the list is endless. Unless you continually wear surgical gloves, you WILL be exposed to the germs of someone else you may, or may not, know and those persons could be infected with any number of nasty communicable germs that could make you mildly sick or worse. Regardless of how it is transmitted, the precautions are the same; sanitation, hand washing and covering coughs/sneezes.
Response:
Isolation of a non-contaminated (safe) space is important for the comfort and well-being of healthy people. Securing these areas with plastic sheeting and duct tape, from contaminated areas (and those inside), is not pleasant but necessary. Since flu germs can survive for up to 48 hours or more on some surfaces, quarantined areas may have to be designated and those entering the quarantined areas must "suit up" with the protective gear. Exterior openings (like doors and windows) should be covered to prevent leakage of a contaminated outside into the dwelling and a barrier area should be setup with plastic sheeting between the quarantined and the non-contaminated area so that quarantined-area visitors can remove their PPE clothing before entering the non-contaminated area.

A decontamination area should be setup to decontaminate anything or anyone intending to enter a non-contaminated area. This can be as simple as a garden hose, common anti-bacterial soap, and a small step stool in the center of a kiddie pool surrounded by shower curtains. The "decontaminee" strips off all clothes, which are placed in a plastic bag for disposal, then, while standing on the step stool, is sprayed with the hose and soaps down (head to toes) with the anti-bacterial soap, for about 3 to 5 minutes. After rinsing off, and avoiding to step in the decontaminated water in the pool, the "decontaminee" puts on clean PPE clothing and foot protection to avoid further spread of the infection/virus. They are then put into a quarantine room for observation for a time specified (2+ weeks) for the infection/virus.

Safe Food Handling: Refer to Food Contamination Prevention to reduce spreading a virus.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):* The basic components of a full-fledged Pandemic Kit is recommended for each "Go Bag" and a complete Pandemic Kit should be in every home. Ready-made kits*, or products to build your own, can be purchased from many internet sites or local stores that sell hospital supplies. Basic supplies include*:
  • N95 Masks (to cover the mouth and nose). Be aware of Hypercapnia that can result from wearing a mask too long, under certain circumstances, and that certain types of masks are ineffective.    [More on Masks]
    [DIY Face Mask 1 (article)]    [DIY Face Mask 2 (video)]    [DIY Face Mask 3 (video)]    [DIY Face Mask 4 (video)]
  • Zippered Coveralls (isolation gowns) with adhesive tape to wrap ankles and wrists
  • Surgical-grade hair net (if the isolation gown does not have a hood)
  • Safety Goggles
  • Antimicrobial wipes or cleaner (for body and hard surfaces)
  • Surgical gloves (Nitrile, non-latex, medical-grade)
  • Foot/shoe covers
  • Bio-Hazard Bag (for permanent disposal of contaminated items which should never be reused)
    • If protective gear* is exposed to a contaminated area, it must be removed and placed in the Bio-Hazard Bag, and hands sanitized, before the wearer can enter a non-contaminated area. Several sets of protective gear* (quantity based on activity within contaminated areas) will be necessary for the duration of the outbreak.

    Duration / Affects: A full-fledged flu pandemic event could last up to 8 weeks, IF proper public response and controls are put in place, and could cause severe social, economic and political stress. If public response is not swift, the effects could last considerably longer.

    Herd Immunity: We deal with the flu, and many other diseases, every year and we survive it because we LIVE our normal lives through it. The sooner people are exposed to a disease, the sooner the desease will stop spreading. With few exceptions, when we are exposed to a disease, our immune system grows stonger. The only thing worse than the disease is the FEAR of it. Read more.

    If a serious, extended, outbreak occurs, shortages, or contamination, of food and water supplies could result. Your long-term water storage supply should be used. Food that was purchased prior to the event may be okay to ingest but purchasing food during an extended outbreak may be risky so consider using your long-term food storage supply until the outbreak is over. Also, a defense strategy may be necessary against those who have not prepared. Regardless of the event or its severity, the most important thing is to have a plan.

    Improve the odds with personal education, planning and taking action and sharing this information with all of our acquaintances. The more who prepare and apply these precautions, fewer will be those infected and the outbreak duration may be reduced.

    * All components of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are not created equal. Research to find the best products and how to put on (Donning) and remove (Doffing) them. Review this link also.

    Practice, Practice, Practice! As with any plan, it is worthless unless it is communicated, tried and practiced, on a regular, periodic, scheduled basis, with everyone in the family or business.

    [Blog Link]
    Is "Zombie (Rage) Virus" Possible via Rabies-Flu Hybrid?
    Consider this: While I don't believe in zombies, in the television sense of the word, I do believe in existing diseases that can cause a zombie-like symptoms. Rabies, for example, can, under certain conditions, approximate some of the conditions of the zombie lust for brains. The rabies virus causes massive inflammation, or swelling, of the brain. Symptoms include full or partial paralysis, mental impairment, agitation and strange behavior, mania, foaming at the mouth and, finally, delirium. Currently, it's most often transmitted by bites from infected animals. About 55,000 people die annually from rabies and, while rabies can become epidemic among animals, there are no reported cases of a rabid human biting another human. Although vaccines do exist, they have to be administered before the onset of symptoms if the patient is to survive.

    With the understanding that viruses can, and often mutate (usually helped along by the introduction of vaccines), what would happen if rabies was genetically manipulated (like COVID) or mutated into an airborne virus? Wouldn't it be safe to say that a person may not know they are infected until the onset of symptoms? And couldn't an airborne (non-bite transmission) version of rabies become the deadliest epidemic virus of all time? In fact, a 1972 incident described that "a 56-year-old man died of rabies 21 days after exposure to a "fixed" strain of rabies virus . . . apparently resulted from inhalation of an aerosol generated in a biological laboratory during the manufacture of animal rabies vaccine."

    World Rediness for the Next Infectious Disease Outbreak: The December 2016 issue of The American Interest warned that "the world is likely entering the age of bioengineered viral pandemics and collapse" since bioengineering technologies make it easy to modify and release new viruses that could cause, not just a deadly pandemic, but a collapse in economic activity and loss of law and order. The threats that could trigger a "collapse" are increasing due to advances in technology that can and will be misused. Households need to have months, rather than days, of stored food and water.
    We're Not Ready for Another Pandemic
    Triggered Collapse: A Nation Unprepared
    World still 'grossly underprepared' for infectious disease outbreaks
    Outbreak Readiness and Business Impact
    Some facts:

    The world is NOT prepared for controlling the spread of infectious disease outbreaks. Do what YOU can to stay healthy and Be Prepared!

    Suggested Readings:
    Preparing for the Flu Season
    Health, First Aid, Prescriptions & Survival Medicine
    Agenda 21: United Nations Plan to Reduce the World's Population