[Judith Anne]

Hi, everyone.

It's been a long time since I've been able to tend to my lists and pings, and I'm not sure it's something I'll ever be able to completely catch up on. I just have a few thoughts I'd like to share, with apologies to anyone who may have been accidently left off this list:

1. Now that the media, worldwide, are starting to pay a lot of attention to Avian Flu, there will surely be a lot of rumors and bad information. Here's a link Mother Abigail gave me last night on another thread, that will help us know when the shit hits the fan:

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/case-count/avflucount.html

My recommendation: Read for curiosity all the rumors and scary articles. Then, just check the CIDRAP link to decide if you want to worry or not.

2. We can all order Tamiflu, Amantadine, and other antivirals ON LINE. They're a bit expensive. My recommendation is, don't pay for anything until you have a firm commitment for a delivery date. After all, you don't want to be waiting until next summer to get yours. Alternatively, you can ask your doctor for a prescription for it, and tell him you want it on hand. Most doctors will understand and give it to you. When you get it filled at the pharmacy TELL THE PHARMACIST YOU WANT THE LONGEST EXPIRATION DATE YOU CAN GET for your prescription, and find out what the expiration date is.

Then, don't take the antiviral UNTIL and UNLESS Avian Flu is in your state.

3. Look for herbal antivirals: Sambucol is non-prescription, has shown research effectiveness against ordinary influenza, and is available online. Take this according to directions anytime you want. Lay in a good supply. Most effective herbal antivirals have an elderberry base. Ricola makes a cough drop with elderberry concentrate. I'm going to get some of that along with my homemade elderberry syrup, because I come into contact with the public. Other herbs effective against viruses include turmeric. You can easily find more information online, and if you do, please share it here. Remember: we are looking for ANTIVIRALS! Thanks. ;-D

3. Find out what your local health department and emergency management rules and laws are. You may or may not choose to abide by them. If you choose not to, you will need an alternate location. Find one.

4. Stock up on stuff you can't live without. Food, drinking water, etc. Remember: New Orleans had NO IDEA it would be totally destroyed two months ago. I personally have some very very nice bottles of expensive alcohol that I plan to trade for whatever I need (meanwhile, it makes a pretty home bar!), should the time come, in addition to a freezer full of food, a generator, and extra gasoline. ;-D Even if you don't smoke, a couple cartons of cigarettes would be a good idea. You can always trade them.

4. Get a way to communicate if there's no electricity: one of those hand crank short wave thingies. (On my to do list).

5. Any other suggestions? Being armed and having ammunition go without saying. In the boonies, you can feed and protect yourself...

[Judith Anne]

One more teeny tiny thing to prepare:

DON'T TELL ANYONE!

Because you are all FReepers, and I love you, I'm going to just say this one time:

Suppose you have enough Tamiflu for yourself and your aged parent. Suppose the lady next door with four children comes over with big weeping eyes and begs you for it.

JUST KEEP YOUR PREPARATIONS TO YOURSELF!

[Gabz]

5. Any other suggestions? Being armed and having ammunition go without saying. In the boonies, you can feed and protect yourself...

Unlike soemthing like an earthquake, or even a tornado - we have ample warning here so all I can suggest, in addition to your above mentioned, prepare as if there is a Cat5 hurricane or a major blizzard bearing down upon you and evacuation is NOT an option.

[xVIer]

Thank you for the ping Judith...I am keeping a close eye on this. Glad to hear from you, take care!

[genefromjersey]

Thanks, JA !

[Yaelle]

Great to hear back from you, JA! Hope you will have time to stick around.

Re the prescriptions online -- Are they safe to order from? Does anyone know which ones are reputable? Also, should it be Tamiflu or that aerosol one, Relenza? Maybe it would be better to do the breathing one, get it right into the lungs?

Your preparedness ideas are great. The food stored could also be for earthquake, storm, or other power loss situations. Beef jerky, canned foods, cartons of clear broth, etc.

I am sure we would need good masks as well, to attempt to keep other family members from getting it.

[M. Espinola]

Your listing of preparational items is excellent.

Some of us have personally gone through 9-11, blackouts in the summer heat, hurricanes, Northeasters, and floods, all of which disruptive to our use of electricity to certain degrees. The items you listed mentioned are common sense in any of these disasters.

We have recently witnessed, in various portions of the nation, sudden and massive price increases at the gas station, including 'shortages', and in my opinion, blatant price gouging in a number of geographical zones, making matters far worse. The current hurricane, Rita, contingent of any energy supply disruptions, may also result in another round pump price pain come this weekend, thus in addition to the items mentioned keeping the gas tank filled is also strongly advised (at current prices).

The point is the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu may only be 'overseas' currently but could spread worldwide and triggering a panic, and not only in medicine.

This is a question: In the future once Bird Flu mutates and is indeed transferable human to human, could homicidal, al-Qaida type fanatics, knowingly infected with Bird Flu be used as walking, coughing transmitters of this virus on trains, planes and office buildings?

News Updates:

Brussels urges joint action to stop bird flu (The Financial Times 9-21-05)

('The European Commission is pushing for an international donors' conference on bird flu to help Asian countries combat the disease and prevent a global pandemic. The move reflects growing concern in Brussels that more funding must be directed to impoverished south-east Asian countries to help stop the disease spreading to Europe.')

Indonesia on brink of bird flu epidemic (Queensland Newspapers-Courier Mail 9-22-05)

('FEARS of a possibly uncontrollable bird flu outbreak were sweeping Indonesia last night after the Government warned of a potential epidemic.')

[2ndreconmarine]

Nice summary post. Thank you.

Nice to have you back.