Vanity: Question for preppers about COVID

[GrootheWanderer]

For people who are preppers, what are you doing differently now than you were a year ago? What, if anything, caught you off guard? What lessons have you learned from the pandemic that have caused you to change what you do?

For those whose plans include bugging out, how will you deal with the possibility of formal travel restrictions or people in small towns and rural communities who might be hostile to outsiders coming in and possibly bringing a disease with them?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I learned that giving your excess eggs and milk to your neighbors builds up a lot of good will.

Thanks to the guys who came and trimmed our apple trees.

Hope you enjoyed the cider!

[metmom]

Can’t think of anything significant.

I was a little surprised with the speed at which store shelves emptied on Mar 13, when the lockdown first went into effect.

I’ve done some more strategic planning for my garden and canning supplies. During the summer, I was buying up canning jars lids and an occasional box of jars until the selves were wiped out in Aug.

I also have ordered seeds for the garden that I know are not hybrid, so I can save the seeds and not be dependent on buying them from the suppliers.

I also have come to trust no one in the government.

[FreedomPoster]

I have a better 2nd refrigerator for on-site food. I was using a dorm refrigerator for a 2nd / drink refrigerator in the basement, have a full size one now.

I’ve adjusted my supplements in line with some of the medical prophylaxis recommendations.

I scored maybe a week’s worth of quality freeze dried stuff early on, before it disappeared. Wish I’d bought a little more.

[Jamestown1630]

what are you doing differently now than you were a year ago?

The only thing I can think of is more toilet paper and paper towels....

(We stocked up pretty well during the Obama years. May have to re-think things in January...)

[Secret Agent Man]

Trash bags

Everyone forgets about having lots of trash bags

[Jamestown1630]

LOL!

Good advice!

[Laslo Fripp]

Read the Daily Word and go about living. 🙏

[Grampa Dave]

Living in N. Californicator land, we have to have GO bags ready to leave in case of forest fires, earthquakes and BLMers destroying our cities.

We also, keep a week or so of canned food available, two freezers stocked. With frozen water in plastic bottles/jugs on top of the freezers. A couple of cases of drinking water besides the frozen bottles.

Also, we keep about 3 days of food in our combo kitchen refer/freezer. That is the first for the food to be cooked/prepared and eaten.

We store extra water/food/jackets/clothes in our two vehicles. During fire season, we keep extra copies of our trust and other vital documents in the trunks of our vehicles.

I have 3 extra vehicle 12 volt batteries that are recharged every month.

Vehicles never get below half full re gasoline.

[Edward Teach]

Keeping the liquor supply up, plus Spanish Queen olives, Luxardo maraschino cherries, and lots of cocktail bitters.

[kaintucky]

I invested in a few guns designed for black powder, lead, and bullet molds. Expanded and hardened the chicken coop. Overhauled the fences. Started another garden plot. Bought a bow. Spending a lot more time in the woods. Working on the cardio. Ham radios.

[GreyHoundSailor]

We burn everything that’s not metal or glass and dump the ashes on Bernie-bots’ properties.

[mosaicwolf]

COVID is not the threat but a ruse by the communists. Focus on the real threat. The communist insurgency. Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed

[mquinn]

I like the cut of your jib, sir.

[hsmomx3]

I am making sure I have more than enough Vitamin D, Zinc and other vitamins and minerals.

Pasta, oatmeal, pancake mix, canned goods and soups are also something I am trying to stock up on.

[Jamestown1630]

And when you get too wrought-up, have yerself some comic relief:

Ray Stevens singing ‘The Quarantine Song’:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtjceaknzHQ

[wgmalabama]

I was surprised that there wasn’t more disruption and runs on banks, stores .... apparently it was PPE, TP, guns and ammo. I was also surprised that people became so fearful over a virus that was comparable to a medium to high flu strain. Granted it was used to cover election fraud and political positions. I am surprised my parents will hide from everyone but still go get fast food drive thru. Somehow that’s magic. Anyone can help me understand my parents? My wife considers bulk Can food that might expire waste. I can deal with that.

Honest now -

I am surprised I found holes in my stocks but was able to fill them during this time.
I’m surprised I never once called a “gate closing” - family term for a grab your shit and get last minute stuff because we are locking down in 24 hours. Maybe I’m not as paranoid I I expected. Maybe it was normalcy bias.

I am honestly surprised that I got caught without preferred ammo levels in a few Calibers. I was good on fuel bulk food (wheat, corn oats ... )

I still don’t know who will show up in a SHTF scenario. No one got that worried. I had masks but 300 surgical, 100 n95 and 100 n99 will not be enough. I gave many to family. Money, gold and silver will not buy TP when people horde without huge wastes. I don’t do gold and silver.

I suck at timing or understanding the stock market. I also learned that Democrats doing trillion dollar stimulus is bad but Trump I just shrugged it off.

I also learned that work will probably want me to work when the world falls apart.

I still know democrats suck the big ones.

I could think of more but that’s the top of my head.

[Jane Long]

:-)

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Prepper Ping - Failure to plan is a plan to Fail !
Review the comments to see where your storage weakness may be.

metmom : "I was a little surprised with the speed at which store shelves emptied on Mar 13,
when the lockdown first went into effect."

That's a typical reaction when most people realize that your ability to travel and buy and sell is restricted by government.
A "bug out bag" should include spare medications, spare glasses and wipes, and enough for 3 days seasonally adjusted clothing,
as well as filled water containers, and freeze dried/ dehydrated foods, with an emphasis on proteins and digestible fats(ie.: protein bars/raisins).
'Bug out bags' emphasis should be on portability, nutrition and flexibility and adaptability.

If your desired relocation is not a comfortable distance, you should consider cache locations along the route
in areas that will remain undisturbed with reliable immovable landmarks, and mapped locations should your party get separated.
Cache locations should be located where there is little likelihood of moisture intrusion, and containers need to be well sealed.
A spare bag of reliable hand tools is helpful : saws, twine/rope, trenching tools, battery charger, machete, etc.
Success of any bug out plan is to practice it at least once or twice, in order to see where you need to refine your supplies and abilities.

[CodeToad]

OTC meds. We had covid last December. Pepto-Bismol was the saving med we didn’t have. It stops vomiting cold.