Covid 19 thread

[Riverumbbq]

While i've never been a conspiracy theorist about prepping for the 'big one', I have always maintained a rather large pantry with what is probably pretty close to a 1 year supply of food under emergency conditions.
I'm curious if folks are taking a closer look at what may or may not be over the horizon ? Being retired I don't really have to be concerned about mingling with the public if I don't wish to, so in a worst case scenario I don't have to answer my door. Public events such as football games may see far fewer fans showing up if the speculation on this virus blowing-up comes to fruition.
Funding to the CDC has been cut somewhat and what we witnessed during Katrina several years back doesn't exactly inspire a lot of confidence in FEMA.
My question is how do you keep the lights on and feed families while bunkering down ? News reports have shown major streets and boulevards throughout China empty of traffic as people stay home, that and store-shelves with dwindling supplies. Not saying it will get that bad here, but the gap between what we know and what we see in foreign lands along with reports of its coming arrival to the States, what are you going to do about it ? If anything ?

 

[Angry Ram]

Nothing, not worried. Remember Ebola? Nobody else does either.

 

[bluecoconuts]

Nah, and I work at a university with a high number of Chinese students.

That not to say I’m not washing hands more or things like that, but I’m not stock piling food or supplies or anything, I don’t think there’s enough of a risk, especially in the States to go that to those lengths.

 

[yrba1]

That not to say I’m not washing hands more or things like that

This, I've just been more mindful of sanitation in general.

 

[CeeZar]

Yup. Well sort of. I don't consider myself a "prepper" but we've always been generally prepared to live for 3+ months without leaving the house. This is more just how we shop than expecting any particular event to make us "bug in".

Since I cook what we store, it only makes sense to have a lot of it around. For instance, we eat a fair bit of stir fry. So I buy rice in 25# bags. Same for dry beans. We get half a steer from my brother-in-law every year or two. So we have two freezers in the basement. Same goes for basic every day necessities. We have plenty of room in the basement. So when we buy toilet paper, for instance, we buy a lot. I took the opportunity this weekend to take a quick inventory and fill some holes with a trip to Costco and Walmart.

This thing could go either way. Comparing it to ebola is silly. This already way beyond ebola. The biggest problem being that you can be contagious without symptoms. I just spent a week in Dallas at a big conference with 1500 people from around the world. Watching people go through the buffet line just passing the tongs from one to the next was sort of bizarre.

The thing is, there is no reason not to keep some extra supplies around. Worst case you buy a bunch of canned soup and chili that you won't eat and then donate to charity when this blows over. The problem is that people are basically herd animals. Everybody is cool now, but it doesn't take much to start a stampede. The stores could be fully stocked one day and empty two days later.

 

[Akrasian]

A year's supply of food is good, but not practical for most people. What makes sense for most is a supply of masks (n95), lots of hand sanitizer, including small bottles you can carry with you, and stocking up on food you actually like - especially if it stores well and is on sale. So canned soups, meats, veggies etc. Some flour etc if you actually will make bread - otherwise dried beans and grains like rice. A friend of mine swears by the quarts of shelf stable milk you can get at dollar stores, just so she doesn't have to go out in inclement weather.

The idea is to have enough food in the pantry to eat for a few weeks, that will store well and that you will actually want to eat even if the worst doesn't happen.

Oh, and make sure you have a supply of any meds you take.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I’m eating raw bats to build up my tolerance

 

[RamFan503]

Does cutting back on Panda Express count?

 

[Raptorman]

Remember, when you pop those "air pockets" used by Amazon, they come from China.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Does cutting back on Panda Express count?

You have a restaurant, I imagine you could survive for several months with what you have in your walk-ins.

 

[IowaRam]

 

[OldSchool]

Yes by ignoring the media and the politicians crying wolf. TBH there's little you can do if it comes to pandemic stage so keep living your life.

 

[MadGoat]

Having an adequate supply of food is probably the most effective step you can take at this point. It will limit your need to interact with other people, and prevent you from having to trade your signed Eric Dickerson jersey for a can of green beans.

 

[Mister Sin]

Like @OldSchool Said. Not shit you can do once it hits that level. It's really only taking out older people. And mostly men. If your fairly healthy and not elderly you may get it but should see the other side. At least its respiratory...I can handle anything but vomiting.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Like @OldSchool Said. Not shit you can do once it hits that level. It's really only taking out older people. And mostly men. If your fairly healthy and not elderly you may get it but should see the other side. At least its respiratory...I can handle anything but vomiting.

I appreciate that people on here are not into freaking out and panicking but saying there's nothing you can do is absolutely wrong. I encourage you to prepare, perhaps not for yourself (80% of people who get this will get it mildly like regular flu and recover), but for your elderly friends and neighbors, the people you come in contact with that already have immune systems compromised (and they're far more than you know).

Washing your hands reduces SARS and Flu transmission 30-50%. It will most likely do the same here. Wash after restroom use, wash before eating and wash when you return home (Just think, most people don't even do this!). If you have meds you're taking that are important, get another months supply now - look, you're not gonna get quarantined with the military ala some movie but you do want to have the ability to not visit areas where massive amounts of people congregate. Doc offices, grocery stores (that's why they say stock up on some food), etc...

Asian Flu hit in the 50s and I suspect we may end up seeing numbers like that before the end. The world survived that, we'll survive this.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Hand soap? We don’t need no stinking hand soap!

 

[BonifayRam]

Yep I went out Wednesday night with the wife & friends & saw Joe Bonamassa live in Pensacola Fl. The historic Saenger theater is a great place to enjoy great music.....it was sold out not a seat empty in this 3 floor theater. I am always in a rush to get things over with & move on to the next big thing.

 

[Ramhusker]

I’ve got a European trip planned for July and I’m still going. To try and put things in perspective, as of today, 2600+ have perished in the last two plus months worldwide due to the Corona virus. In the US alone, the flu kills 30000 annually. The numbers just don’t strike fear to me. It’s kind of like fearing terrorists. It’s somewhat out of your control. Take precautions and live your life like somebody left the gate open.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I booked a trip for May, but made it fully refundable if the schedules get out of whack... I expect route adjustments if people slow travel habits.

 

[bubbaramfan]

99% of coronavirus deaths are people with poor health before infection. Most people recover. Deaths in the US is under 50.

400,000 people died from overdoses of opiods last year. Doctors in Tennessee wrote over 8 million perscriptions for opiods ast year. The population of Tenn. is only 6 mil.

Which pandemic is worse?