Pandemic preparation? ?

[KeepItReal]

I've always been a planner. Hurricane Sandy went some distance to validate this particular (sometimes annoying) personality trait! ?

 

CDC recommends having 2 weeks or food and water on hand. Check. ✅

 

Are you doing anything specific to prepare for a potential pandemic? (Or perhaps you stopped doing something??) ?

[+ Charlie]

Some of the preparation for a pandemic is a lot like preparation for any kind of widespread disaster, like an earthquake: food, water, pet supplies, toilet paper, emergency medical kit, extra batteries for equipment that uses them, a full tank of gas in the car, generator, etc. I am always prepared to be cut off from supplies and aid for at least a couple of weeks.

[+ deej]

Some of the preparation for a pandemic is a lot like preparation for any kind of widespread disaster, like an earthquake

Yeah, it's like preparing for an earthquake or a tornado or a hurricane. Some of us have been doing it out of habit for years. I will admit I took a mental inventory and need to update the deep freeze with meat. I've become a little lazy there. But for dry goods and pantry items, I can probably go several weeks.

 

I'll probably pick up some extra hand sanitizer this weekend. I suspect that will be in short supply once full-blown panic sets in.

 

I overheard a local yahoo discussing plans to put barbed wire around the periphery of his property. Something tells me nobody wants to visit him anyway.

 

It's all basic common sense, which is anything but common.

[+ FrankR]

Yeah, it's like preparing for an earthquake or a tornado or a hurricane. Some of us have been doing it out of habit for years. I will admit I took a mental inventory and need to update the deep freeze with meat. I've become a little lazy there. But for dry goods and pantry items, I can probably go several weeks.

 

I'll probably pick up some extra hand sanitizer this weekend. I suspect that will be in short supply once full-blown panic sets in.

 

I overheard a local yahoo discussing plans to put barbed wire around the periphery of his property. Something tells me nobody wants to visit him anyway.

 

It's all basic common sense, which is anything but common.

Who knew we had a “doomsday prepper” in our midst? ?

 

I plan to binge watch Doomsday Preppers this weekend - will do my best to catch up with you!! ?

[BgMstr4u]

One good suggestion came my way yesterday. If possible, get a three month supply of necessary medications. Apparently a lot of the pharmaceutical industry is China-dependent.

[+ DERRIK]

three months med sounds good but insurance won’t cover it

[+ bashful]

I think I’ll go to the liquor store tomorrow.

[KeepItReal]

three months med sounds good but insurance won’t cover it

You can get your doctor to change your prescription ? - instead of 30 pills refillable 11 times to cover the year (as an example), request 90 pills refillable 3 times. I've never had a problem with my insurance doing this. ?

[KeepItReal]

Some of the preparation for a pandemic is a lot like preparation for any kind of widespread disaster, like an earthquake: food, water, pet supplies, toilet paper, emergency medical kit, extra batteries for equipment that uses them, a full tank of gas in the car, generator, etc. I am always prepared to be cut off from supplies and aid for at least a couple of weeks.

Your list is missing lube and Trojans... ??

[Trick]

Your list is missing lube and Trojans... ??

 

Does pandemic preparation include stocking up on escorts?

[Stormy]

I’m just not a great preparer. I once spent a night in a bar when a hurricane blew through. Maybe I should tKe this a little more seriously

[rvwnsd]

three months med sounds good but insurance won’t cover it

Anthem actually suggests its members get 90-day mail order supplies of maintenance meds.

[+ bashful]

You can get your doctor to change your prescription ? - instead of 30 pills refillable 11 times to cover the year (as an example), request 90 pills refillable 3 times. I've never had a problem with my insurance doing this. ?

 

All my meds are on a 90 day refill schedule via mail order. The one-offs, like antibiotics, I do at retail. Mail order is required by my insurance after three 30-day orders at a retail store. However, sometimes it's usually cheaper to do 90 day mail order from the get go. For instance, alprazolam (generic Xanax), relatively cheap at $18 for 30 days, is only 22 cents via mail order for a 90 day order (45 pills, 0.5 mg each, take 1/2 to one pill as needed).

Edited February 29, 2020 by bashful

[BgMstr4u]

The thing about disaster planning - stocking up in particular - is that it is a no-lose proposition. If an emergency, well, emerges, you’re better off. If not, you have what you need for a little longer.

[BSR]

The thing about disaster planning - stocking up in particular - is that it is a no-lose proposition. If an emergency, well, emerges, you’re better off. If not, you have what you need for a little longer.

 

I got a bit nervous when I heard that local Chinatown businesses are suffering because of fear of coronavirus, even though there hasn't been a single case in Nevada. So I went to Costco to load up. It looked like a regular Friday afternoon, superbusy as always, but no panic-buying. I have enough in my pantry & freezer to last me ~1 month. While I don't expect things will deteriorate to the point where the supermarkets are empty, I do feel more comfortable knowing I have food to last me a while.

 

Hmm, I should have stocked up on Twinkies. They keep for like forever, and in case doomsday hits, I'm guessing Twinkies are prime bargaining material.

Edited February 29, 2020 by BSR

[Guest]

The LDS published a preparedness guide years ago. When I saw them stockpiling, my thought was “preppers” and that such stockpiling was ineffective against something like nuclear holocaust. Now, I understand it’s about supply chain disruption and it’s looking pretty smart.

 

I’m glad I bought my surgical masks and gloves at the first mention of corona virus. I’ve not used them yet, but I have plenty in case.

[Trick]

 

The LDS published a preparedness guide years ago.

 

 

LDS?

[HotWhiteThirties]

LDS?

 

Latter Day Saints is the only entity that I know of commonly abbreviated “LDS,” but I’m not sure if that’s correct. ??‍♂️Could be some medical society, etc. Funny how we choose to use abbreviations without considering the reader/listener. I’m guilty of doing it frequently - especially when talking about terms within my profession.

 

As for prepping for any pandemic - these are good suggestions. If they are inspired because anyone thinks we are actually in the midst of a major life-threatening pandemic I haven’t seen enough evidence when using simple math and mortality rates to suggest there is any cause for panic.

Edited February 29, 2020 by HotWhiteThirties

[+ Pensant]

The LDS published a preparedness guide years ago. When I saw them stockpiling, my thought was “preppers” and that such stockpiling was ineffective against something like nuclear holocaust. Now, I understand it’s about supply chain disruption and it’s looking pretty smart.

 

I’m glad I bought my surgical masks and gloves at the first mention of corona virus. I’ve not used them yet, but I have plenty in case.

I bought them in late January. 3M is one of the companies whose stock hasn’t been pummeled. I’ve also been stocking up on canned proteins like turkey chili, tuna fish, etc. Today I’m going to add to my stock of OTC meds, since most of those also come from China. The two cases in CA are worrying, but, I admit, I’ve always been a bit of a catastrophizer!

[+ WilliamM]

Latter Day Saints is the only entity that I know of commonly abbreviated “LDS,” but I’m not sure if that’s correct. ??‍♂️Could be some medical society, etc. Funny how we choose to use abbreviations without considering the reader/listener. I’m guilty of doing it frequently - especially when talking about terms within my profession.

 

As for prepping for any pandemic - these are good suggestions. If they are inspired because anyone thinks we are actually in the midst of a major life-threatening pandemic I haven’t seen enough evidence when using simple math and mortality rates to suggest there is any cause for panic.

 

A very loyal Trump supporter obviously.

[+ Charlie]

Your list is missing lube and Trojans... ??

I think I still have some leftover from the swine flu epidemic.

[HotWhiteThirties]

A very loyal Trump supporter obviously.

 

You’re not going to goad me into an argument by trying to make this political. You only prove that it has been politicized with your comment.

Edited February 29, 2020 by HotWhiteThirties

[+ Charlie]

BTW, in the event of a natural disaster or pandemic, one of the most useful items to have is a supply of large garbage bags, since trash collection is likely to be interrupted, but you will still be creating garbage. You can also use them if flush toilets no longer work because of water supply problems: you drape them over the toilet and shit in them.

 

As you may have guessed, I am a member of our local Disaster Preparedness Committee.

[KeepItReal]

Wow. Because I think for myself and can do math and know how to figure percentages? When the deaths from the seasonal flu are over 6% and those related to coronavirus by percentage are only a fraction of that with overall fewer impacted, I’m using common sense. I don’t need make it political to apply common sense and logic.

 

Call in the attack dogs - someone isn’t patently accepting media narratives that politicize everything = must support Trump.

 

Ok.

Please include citations of the sources you are using. Where did you find the 6%? According to the CDC in 2016/17 season an estimates 29 million people contractes the flu but only an estimated 38,000 died so a death rate of 0.2%. (I rounded up) https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html

 

An estimated 1% of those that contract Coronavirus will die. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51674743

 

So my math tells me Corona is more serious than seasonal flu. ?

 

Regardless of political affiliation (something that I couldn't care less about), the estimated numbers are what they are.

Edited February 29, 2020 by KeepItReal

[HotWhiteThirties]

Please include citations of the sources you are using. Where did you find the 6%? According to the CDC in 2016/17 season an estimates 29 million people contractes the flu but only an estimated 38,000 died so a death rate of 0.2%. (I rounded up) https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html

 

An estimated 1% of those that contract Coronavirus will die. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51674743

 

So my math tells me Corona is more serious than seasonal flu. ?

 

Regardless of political affiliation (something that I couldn't care less about), the estimated numbers are what they are.

 

The report of over 6% was on a radio news update this morning on my drive to work that was presented to be for the current flu season. I am at work and will have to look later.

 

And for the record and to provide context since you’ll find that your quotation and my edited comments are not the same. I actually went back and removed my comment within a few moments of posting it because I don’t really seek arguments on this forum. Others may, but I thought better of it and changed it. It appears you made the quotation just prior to that removal. As you say illness is serious and after second thought wanted to step away from the temptation to politicize it.