Prepping for a pandemic 2

[wheresmymojo]

Second thread on prepping for a potential Coronavirus pandemic...following the latest news and information as well as prepping info.

When quoting estimates like mortality rates, replication rates, incubation periods and similar I try to stick to evidence based, scientific studies and will link to sources (unless already linked to them previously).

Generally speaking I use reputable sources of information like well regarded news outlets for other information and will provide links.

Sometimes I may post things outside of this as 'interesting' or such like. I will always caveat these as to be taken with caution.

As much as possible I am attempting not to link to fake news. It's an evolving picture so may not be 100% successful but if something is later shown to be incorrect I will post a correction.

Fair point @bellinisurge, also we don't know anything about the mental health of those quarantined so that may be a factor.

@allthesharks , I'm sorry you are particularly worried. Despite being a prepper who has had some bad experiences with the nhs affecting my trust in it, I strongly recommend that people follow government advice and statements on this. When dealing with a contagious disease, no one has special overview type knowledge about its spread or management other than the authorities. Rumour isn't helpful to any of us.
It seems thoroughly plausible that there is a legal loophole that needs closing by changing the formal threat level.

It seems thoroughly plausible that there is a legal loophole that needs closing by changing the formal threat level.

It does - but as a lawyer this is a very silly way of doing it. If this was the case they would surely have had a detailed and controlled announcement stating that as a direct response to someone trying to leave quarantine it has been necessary to raise the alert level but that this does not indicate an increase risk to the public.

It’s Matt Hancock. It’s just amazing his trousers didn’t fall down while he was giving the announcement.

well you may have a point there

That's what I think HasaDig obviously it's played a factor but I think it's based on other information too

Just seen on the other thread- 4 more cases in Brighton. That would explain the change to threat level.

New cases: www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/feb/10/coronavirus-live-updates-china-goes-back-to-work-as-cases-exceed-40000-latest-news

I've been lurking here and reading with interest. We have limited storage (flat) and I like to ensure we would have enough food in to get by a week of main meals. I've only had to do that once when one DC got d&v and passed it round.

I've been adding extra food the past couple of shops but am clueless when it comes to medication. I've checked our first aid kit and all of our medicine is out of date. Paracetamol one year out, kids ibuprofen 2 years. Is it still ok to use? With 4 people (2 adults, one almost teenager and one a bit younger) how much would you need anyway? How long would one packet of 16 tablets of 500mg paracetamol last? We generally don't dose the DC (or us) up when they get ill, beyond Vicks if they sound a little stuffy.

Paracetamol and Nurofen (or generic equivalents) are symptom managers not symptom curers (apologies if you already know this).
I would make a habit of getting supermarket versions as and when you go shopping. They are cheap but you are limited in the amount you can buy. You don't need fancy brands.
As always, it's a good idea to store them away from ready access in the home. To save space, you could take them out of boxes and store paracetamol in one bag (with say, one leaflet from one box) and ibuprofen in another bag. Shove the bags in a clothes drawer.
If you still have calpol users in the home, do the same. Obviously tell another adult in your household where they are.

16 paracetamol is 2 days supply for one adult at max dose but there is an argument for letting fever run its course.

Yep - 4 more in Brighton

news.sky.com/story/uk-coronavirus-cases-double-as-four-more-test-positive-11930618

As for someone wanting to break quarantine in Wirral, I can't really judge without knowing the full circumstances.

We don't know whether there's any reason...for example, let's say they'd been told their mother was in a critical condition from a terminal illness elsewhere in the country and they'd only had negative tests and no symptoms but were being told they can't leave and that nothing can be done. I'd definitely have some sympathy in that situation.

Equally they could just be a selfish arse who is bored 🤷🏻‍♀️

New medical report shows incubation period could be as long as 24 days...

(I'm assuming not yet peer reviewed)

I’m prone to anxiety and this has tipped me a little over the edge into anxious. Thanks to these two threads, though, and posters like bellinisurge I have been slowly prepping for about six months - largely for price hike in the event of a no deal brexit.

I mentioned before that I’ve sorted my freezer and probably have enough for 2-4 weeks of food for two adults and a three year old. I’m heading out after nursery pick up to do a toilet roll/calpol run on my credit card though, as the latest news has scared me. Thanks to you lot, though, i am prepared enough that I can afford to spend a little bit on ‘treats’ in case it does get to the point where we want or are told to stay indoors for periods of time.

On a practical note the lidl own brand (cien) hand gel is 73.5% alcohol and so is useful for protecting against viral spread. 49p for 50ml (tiny bottle but quite good for kids school bags etc)

I happen to have a box of basic face masks I bought for decorating. I wonder about makeshift ones from old tshirts that could be boiled.
I also have gallons of hand gel as just finished chemo.
My health is so poor I wouldn't last long but adult DC could come home and hunker down here. We are rural and I will have enough food to sustain 4 adults for a month.

I have some surgical face masks somewhere from swine flu. In the end only DS1 got it (fairly mildly) and he was only 5 so the face masks were no good. Goodness knows where I put them though.

I have been very stressed, worrried, snappy and anxious this last 3 weeks, I can only see this getting worse and my fears are being realised. My anxiety is sky high. I am trying not to watch the news, etc but its hard and I am so worried about the future, I cannot plan or look forward to anything. I have 150 facemasks that I bought when this all started, wish I had got more now. Going to get more food and water in . I have health probs, I am more worried about my family though, will they cope when I am dead???

The problem is if the c.v. is aerosol spread facemasks don't offer much protection for the well. They do help prevent sick people infecting others though. It's far more important to wash hands and avoid touching your face than wearing a facemask.

16 paracetamol is 2 days supply for one adult at max dose but there is an argument for letting fever run its course.

Thanks. We do that, I don't give the DC medicine to lower a fever, only if they are in pain. (That's why its all out of date!) But I have been thinking I should maybe get some in. I will add a couple of boxes each time I go shopping.

I’ve been finding it harder to get paracetamol, since Brexit was voted for. The prices have doubled for some of the cheaper brands, so I dread to think what it’s going to be like. I have been rather careless with using stuff out of my stores and not replacing them. I’d best start prepping again.

I read over the weekend that a female doctor connected with the French outbreak had returned to Brighton. This morning they're reporting that one of the new outbreaks is a male doctor. Apparently a medical centre in Brighton has closed due to operational difficulties - I wonder if there's a connection!

Off to do shopping later. On foot, but definitely bringing back two full bags as my aim is not to be on the verge of running out of anything (as well as the odd couple of extra tins I might add).

You can only buy two lots of painkillers. Try one child and one adult each time.

Storage: try under bed, sofa, top of wardrobes and cupboards. Behind sofa, under dining table. Behind bath panel and kickboard.

Home bargains had a full shelf of large alcohol based hand gel. It's 3 for a pound so I got 3.
I also bought 2 more packets of nappies, sanitary towels to last an extra month, more toothpaste, washing up liquid and Dettol.
I also got another Calpol and a paracetamol. There were no shortages of pain killers there.