Preparing for a Pandemic Outbreak

“Charles Darwin said, “”It is not the strongest of species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the one who is most responsive to change.”” Movies like Contagion, Carriers and Outbreak all depict how easy it is for an infectious disease to spread and how difficult and challenging it is for a person to run away from it. Though Hollywood has been quite dedicated towards creating movies on viruses that do not exist in the real world, nevertheless, they have given us a peek into a possible and a very real threat to the existence of man. Moreover, living in the world that we are living in today, pandemics are not a matter of “”if”” anymore, they are a matter of “”when””. They are deadly and dangerous. They have the potential to kill and kill in a duration that does not give you enough time to fathom what is happening. Once a pandemic is declared, it can spread in a span of a few hours and can last for as long as eight weeks. The possibility of you becoming an active part of the pandemic is as thin as the infection getting into your system through the sneeze of a person in your vicinity.

When we look back into the history of the world, there have been a large number of deadly pandemics that have claimed the lives of thousands of people all together in a matter of days.

– Bubonic Plague: The bubonic plague that hit Europe back in the 1600s engulfed two-thirds of the total population.

– Mosquito-Borne Disease: Dengue and the latest entry in the form of Zika virus are the perfect examples.

– Spanish Flu: When the Spanish Influenza hit the streets in 1918 it took with it more than 20 percent of the world’s population that is around 50 million people.

– Ebola Virus: eBola virus first gained a name in 1976 when it caused quite a stir amongst people. Now, it is back again. Ebola is a virus that has the capability to produce the domino effect and no matter what the media says about Ebola not spreading through the air, there is no reason for you to take any chances.

– Swine Flu: The United States of America witnessed a significant number of cases infected with the deadly swine flu virus in 2009.

There are medical professionals and researchers that state that one can not ignore the possibility of a pandemic. There is an imminent threat that is hanging over the heads of human existence. But history has also proven that despite all the dangers of the pandemics that have struck the face of mankind, it still has been successful to a certain extent in being able to control them. And knowing that being able to control them is a possibility with high probability gives us a feeling of immense satisfaction and comfort. When China was reeling under the influence of the Avian Flu, the United States of America with the exception of Texas barely escaped the threat. That was back in 2004 and knowing that human efforts were successful in preventing an international spreading of this flu, is satisfying.

The point is that when you have thoroughly prepared yourself for a situation such as this, the chances of you surviving it increase automatically. So why to wait and take a risk when you could buck up and start preparing to fight it out. We come to you with a list of how to equip yourself against a pandemic. There is no way that you could control the outbreak from spreading but you being able to protect yourself from it is something for which you can prepare.

Take precautions.

The pandemic outbreak is an extreme situation that directly challenges your survival. It is, therefore, necessary to take equally extreme steps to ensure your safety.

If it is an airborne disease, then you could prepare yourself by:

– Buying surgical masks

– Respirators

– Gas Masks

– Anti Fog Goggles

– Face shields

– Face protection equipment

– Nitrile gloves

– Chemical suits

– Hand wipes

– Hand sanitizers

– Bleach and disinfectants

– Biohazard bags

– Adult oral rehydration

– Garbage bags

– Calcium, vitamin C, and other immunity boosters

Increase the supply of water to your place.

The municipalities supply chlorinated water to your home. Chlorine can kill the bacteria and virus that make their way into the water filtration system and, therefore, protects you from catching any water-borne diseases. But when the pandemic strikes, it may happen that this supply stops, and you may no longer get access to chlorinated water. As a result, if you do not have a reliable backup, you will find yourself in a deep rut. It is impossible for a human being to survive for more than three days without a single drop of water, forget the eight-week long duration. During a pandemic, it is even more essential to remain as hydrated as you can. So the need to increase your water storage is urgent. You could go for MRE or Meals, Ready to Eat water packs. These packages contain treated water. The packing is resistant and sturdy enough not to let the water inside get infected by any virus or bacteria. The MRE water packs are available in different quantities and have a long shelf life, so you don’t have to worry about drinking unclean water.

Stock up food.

Food comes next to oxygen and water when it comes to survival. It is impossible to imagine being healthy and fit by just drinking water for the entire day. It is important for you to fill your body up with energy to work and be active. Being low on energy can lead to you becoming weak which further propels the chances of you catching the infection as your immune system is on the down low. Go for storing foods that contain high levels of nutrients and fiber such as:

– Powdered milk

– Whey

– Eggs

– Hard cheese encased in wax: They are a challenge to find but a treasure to keep and consume during the times of need. The wax will prevent the cheese from developing any forms of bacteria or mold on it by keeping away all moisture from it. You also don’t need to worry about refrigerating it. You can store it at room temperature.

– Protein bars and protein drinks: The protein bars are nutrition packed in a small, handy bar. They give a lot of energy and make you feel full. Granola bars are the preferred choices of people when looking for bars that are high in nutrients, especially protein.

– Pemmican: Not many people know that pemmican is a wonderful selection of food for survival. It is also devoid of the unwanted carbs, sugar, and cholesterol. It is concentrated food bar which instantly fills you up with energy.

– MRE or Meals, Ready to Eat: Just like water packets, MREs also offer food supplies. MRE emerged as a food option for survival for the military that did not have time to prepare healthy and nutritious food but had to remain energetic and active at all times during the day as well as night. MREs or Meals, Ready to Eat, as the name suggests are meals that you can consume on the go without warming them up. But don’t worry about eating your food cold because they come with a self-activated heating system that warms up the content inside the MRE packs. Some of the features that make MRE a superior choice when it comes to survival foods include:

– MREs are manufactured in a hermetically sealed environment, so they are safe from any virus or bacteria outside.

– MREs have a long shelf life, from one day to as long as five years, so you don’t have to worry about eating food that has gone bad or that is not high enough in nutrition.

– MREs have a tremendous variety of food options from which you can choose. A single day pack of MRE contains the three meals for the day for one person. From starters to dessert, the meals have everything to make you feel like you are consuming healthy and tasty food that has the real touch of home cooked food in it.

– MREs are thoroughly convenient because they come with their eating utensils. You don’t even have to spare a thought about not wanting to waste water at such a crucial time as a pandemic outbreak to wash the soiled dishes. From fork, spoon to plates, MRE packs have everything.

– MREs are impact resistant and ruggedized against any disaster. So if in case you decide to go to some other place that has been declared safe from the pandemic, in haste, you don’t have to worry about keeping these MRE packs on top of each other. The insides remain as tasty and as healthy as ever. This also makes them quite convenient to carry.

You can check our Blue Line products, designed exactly for this type of situations.

Get extra cash.

Sometimes, when planning for a pandemic outbreak that has already hit the surrounding areas, you may not have the time to rush to the ATM and take out some cash to buy preparatory items. So always have a secret place where you can keep some extra money that you may suddenly need when the time comes.

Update your first aid kit.

Now that you are in the pandemic zone having a first aid kit is a must. It may certainly not be possible for you to do anything if the disease has made its way but during the initial period of the virus’s gestation, it’s just the symptoms that show up. The earlier you recognize the symptoms, the sooner the infected person can be treated and helped. So having the basics such as a thermometer, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen in addition to other necessities is essential. They help a lot during a flu outbreak.

Get a portable battery powered radio.

Radio is a reliable way to get the information about the latest developments. You don’t know if the electricity supply will be affected by the outbreak and without power neither will the television work nor your cell phone, after a few hours. Through the radio, you will know what extra steps you can take to protect yourself or which area you can head to ensure your safety and what the current scenario is.

Do the following:

– Get a flashlight and fresh batteries to operate it when there is no electricity supply.

– Emergency contact list with phone numbers, so you can talk to them whenever you are in need or when you need to convey some information.

– Research: In addition to what you get to know about the disease, make some efforts to find something out by yourself. Every pandemic comes with a different type of virus and educating yourself about what it is and how it spreads will only aid you in protecting yourself further.

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