Posted on 03/13/2006 10:10:32 AM PST by blam
What You Should Do to Prepare for an Epidemic
Stock Up on Essentials and Have an 'Outbreak Plan'
How To Protect Yourself
Bird Flu
How Would You Know If You Had Avian Flu?
A Bit of Context on the Bird Flu Threat
How To Protect Yourself
By LARA SETRAKIAN
March 12, 2006 — Will there be an outbreak of avian flu that threatens humans? Many experts disagree on when or if a human pandemic will occur, but do say there is a chance that the virus could mutate, leading to widespread infection. In that case, the best thing you and your family can do right now is to prepare for that possibility.
Here's what you need to know to help keep yourself healthy.
Stock up on Essentials
If there is an avian flu pandemic, you'll want to minimize your chance of catching it by staying indoors; you might even be required to stay home if the government asks that people remain in quarantine or "shelter in place." Stocking up today on at least seven days' worth of essentials such as water, nonperishable food, emergency and medical supplies will help you get through an extended time at home if an outbreak happens. Once you've purchased these items, store them in a place where you will not be tempted to dip into them for everyday use. See the checklist below for guidelines on what and how much you need.
Have an Outbreak Plan
It may feel odd or uncomfortable to talk to family members and loved ones about the worst-case pandemic scenario. But if that scenario strikes, you'll all be much better off if you have a plan decided on and ready. Talk with your friends and family about how you'd respond to an epidemic. Figure out how you would care for them and what your first response and responsibilities would be; this is an especially important conversation to have with those with special care needs. Get involved with local groups and community efforts aimed at preparing for a pandemic. If your community has no program in place yet, find out how you and your neighbors can get one started.
Pick up the Habits of Healthy Behavior
The habits that can help keep you healthy in an outbreak are the same good health habits that can keep you from catching the common cold: maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly and get sufficient rest. Particularly in a flu outbreak situation, it will be important to wash your hands thoroughly and often, reminding loved ones — especially children — to do the same. Be diligent about covering coughs and sneezes with tissues, teaching any children in your family to do the same. Also teach children to stay away from others as much as possible if they are sick and stay home from work or school if you are sick.
Know Your Emergency Contacts and Information Compile the phone numbers you'd need in case of the emergency, keeping the list somewhere safe and visible. Make sure everyone in your household knows where to find it. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, you should include information for:
Local and out-of-town personal emergency contacts
Hospitals near your work, home and school
Family physician
Your state public health department (full list at www.cdc.gov/other.htm#states)
Pharmacy
Employer contact and emergency information
School contact and emergency information
Religious/spiritual organization
Also, know your essential health information such as blood type, allergies, past or current medical conditions, and current medications and their dosages. Make a list of that essential information for all the members of your household. Keep that list safe and make sure everyone in your household knows where it is.
HHS has sample sheets that you can print out and fill in with all your essential contact and health information.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/planguide/InformationSheet.pdf
What Else Will I Need
Make sure you have:
Food and nonperishable items, such as ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups, protein or fruit bars, dry cereal or granola, peanut butter or nuts, dried fruit, crackers, canned juices, bottled water, canned or jarred baby food and formula, and pet food.
Medical and practical items, such as prescriptions drugs and medical supplies such as glucose and blood-pressure monitoring equipment, soap and water, or alcohol-based hand wash, medicines for fever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, thermometer, anti-diarrheal medication, vitamins, fluids with electrolytes, cleansing agent/soap, flashlight, batteries, portable radio, manual can opener, garbage bags and tissues, toilet paper, and disposable diapers.
Source: the Department of Health and Human Services
What most folks don't realize is that pandemic flus are different than the annual winter flus in that pandemics can have one to three cycles that can last a total of six months to two years. The Spanish flu went through three cycles lasting around 1.5 years. It was the second cycle that killed more than 90% of the ones that died from it.
PRI-G for gasoline
PRI-D for diesel
Differ from other fuel stabilizers in that they can restore degraded fuel as well as preserve. West Marine has it as well as on line sources.
Officials say Azeri dog dies of bird flu
Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:02 AM ET
Source: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-03-15T140216Z_01_L15187475_RTRUKOC_0_US-BIRDFLU-AZERBAIJAN-DOG.xml&archived=False
BAKU (Reuters) - A dog has died of bird flu in Azerbaijan, a country where the virus is believed to have caused the death of three young women, officials said on Wednesday.
"A dead stray dog has been found, and after analysis type A bird flu was discovered. The medical investigation is continuing," said a statement from the state commission tasked with fighting the spread of bird flu. It said the dog died on March 9 in the capital Baku.
During the Middle Ages when epidemic struck, entire counties were depopulated, and they were living on self-sufficient farms and what's more didn't travel more than they could walk in a day--their entire lives.
WHO officer in China helps to hide bird flu?
(Mar. 08, 2006) Boxun published a message sent by anonymous person(full text in Chinese), it says that WHO officer in China received bribery and help China government to hide the seriousness of bird flu in China.
Boxun claims that it cannot confirm the information at the beginning of the publishment, then publishes its full contents as it received.
It mentioned that WHO received dead birds (sample) in 2005, and WHO officer released the person's name to government. It said that two persons were executed in February 27 2006.
The message says bird flu has caused 820 deaths in China since summer 2005.
Note by Boxun editor:
One public clue may help understand the situation: the WHO officer in China supported and agreed the official data release by China government. While the scientist in Hong Kong - Guan Yi denied the official data with many solid evidences. In theory, WHO officer in China should have more direct information than a scientist in Hong Kong.
As the biggest citizen journalism site in Chinese, Boxun is largely supported by volunteers, and we do not have the resources to translate its full contents. The quality of translation is also problematic (sometime). Please understand us. (boxun.com)
Semper Hmmmm....
Back in the late 60's I was on a bomb ship anchored in Pusan harbor Korea. We had barges alongside to off load the bombs to. They REALLY did not want us at the dock. Any how standing on deck one calm night, tugs brought the several hundred longshoreman onto the barges to work the cargo. We gagged when they got onto the deck of barges 30 feet down the side from our deck.
Kimchee
Thanks. I've already stabilized my gasoline.
I was a little suprised when the instructions said to 'extend the shelf life (from 12 months to 24 months)', double the amount of stabilizer added.
BTW, I got nine months of dry dog food for my dogs this morning. So, I won't be in everyone's way when the 'panic' begins.
I've read that most towns in the USA are about 30 miles apart...the distance a horse with rider can walk/run in a day.
Not good news, I could get Bird Flu from my best friends? Year #2 of isolation included eating the dogs. We'll see.
I've read other stuff about this.
Another couple of points are:
WHO has not tested everyone who might have had H5N1. Reasons? Remote villages, bodies buried or otherwise disposed of before any samples taken, and this one - if the sick or dead person had not had any contact with poulty/birds, it wasn't bird flu so they didn't test. Add to that the fact that some tests were initially negative and later positive, and some may not have been re-tested after initial neg. I read that regular flu shows up in nasal and throat swabs, but H5N1 is not at those sites after a few days, goes down into the lungs. Which often can only be found out with an autopsy.
(If anyone has it more accurately, correct me and ping me!)
WHO people being compromised by bribery is not a shocker either. Anything in connection with the UN is larded with crap.
Yes, and it wasn't that long ago. And, maybe not that far in our future either.
Hmmmm indeed. I hope they are incorrect, but it won't surprise me if they are right.
Lesson learned: During outbreak, don't travel. Have enough to see self and family through, and self quarantine during the outbreak cycle. No one out, no one in. Living in the country in the middle of 100 acres we can sit it out, barring severe emergencies. If we still catch it it, then at least we tried every reasonable thing to avoid contamination.
Don't feed the birds.
WASHINGTON - U.S. bank regulators on Wednesday (3/15) advised financial institutions to have contingency plans in place in case avian flu becomes pandemic.
"Financial institutions and their service providers supply essential financial services and, as such, should consider their preparedness and response strategy for a potential pandemic," the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision said in a statement.
Did you see on Drudge today the Russian Communist leader is blaming the US for the Bird Flu.....he thinks we started it..like a chemical weapon...just like we started AIDS....its always our fault.....but this is how the tin hat crowd thinks....
One thing I do wonder, is if the H5N1 would be transmissible by mosquito, like the West Nile virus. I haven't read anything to indicate as such, but if it can, then isolation won't be the answer either. Oh well. Add mosquito nets and cases of deet to the cache. ;-)
I wasn't going to mention it but, I also got $6,000.00 in small bills from the bank this morning. (Ahem) Before they get Bird Flu viruses all over it.
Russia is wrong! Muslims (ROTHAP - Religion Of Tin Hats And Peace) have already said it's a Jewish plot against the arab world. ;-)
Birdseed sales are significant in this area. I haven't seen the small birds, except one, a woodpecker, in a couple days, which is unusual. But when a raven did a treetop overflight today he set off a forest of motion sensor alarms. Still can't see them, but they are out there, probably waiting for the temoerature, -12, to come up.
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