Coronavirus Preps Following Lessons Learned

Coronavirus Preps Following Lessons Learned

While I have no special medical knowledge, I did go through planning for Ebola back in PRNJ.  I was entirely dissatisfied with my preparations then, but I learned a lot from the exercise.  Since this seems to be on everyone’s mind, here goes.  😊  Maybe I’ll learn something this go around.

In particular, during the Ebola scare, I realized that if you wish to rely on self-quarantine to avoid exposure, then you want a minimum of people around, not a large MAG.  Whatever preps you need, you should acquire in advance because panic buying will clear the shelves. 

Also, if your plan is to self-quarantine, you need solid rules for when you will enter quarantine, and when you will leave quarantine.  You also need to have a decent estimate of how long a quarantine will last, and whether utilities will continue during the crisis.

As a result, the fact my MAG isn’t aware they are in a MAG is rather convenient.  As a retiree, I can lock the doors on my wife and I, and no one is likely to notice for a month or more.  I simply need to be prepped before I begin the self-quarantine.  This all seems much easier than the Ebola scare.

My understanding of the Coronavirus

The panic going around about the Coronavirus at this point is that it is serious enough to cause preppers to do some last-minute stocking, but non-preppers seem to have really lost their marbles.  The disease is not unusually deadly and if you get it, you may confuse the symptoms with the flu.  The only bad aspects are the lack of vaccines or treatments, so if you get it, you have to actually suffer through it.  It seems to be serious for those over 80, but what isn’t serious for people over 80?

The steps I intend to employ, if necessary, are 1) last minute stocking, 2) have a rigid rule for starting a self-quarantine, and 3) stick to the plan.

Interestingly, the powers that be (TPTB) seem to be taking this much more seriously than Ebola.  Quarantines and travel restrictions have been employed early and often, both in China, and here in the US where patients have been diagnosed.  Panic generating statements have been coming from news sources.  Clusters in various countries have been considered big news.  The prospects for a vaccine are generating wildly different estimates.  On news stories this morning, I heard estimates ranging from three weeks to a year and a half for availability of a vaccine.

In other words, I have no idea how widespread this may become, and neither does anyone else.  ☹

Things seem to happen quickly in today’s world, so I am going to have a planning estimate that my self-quarantine will be one month minimum to six months maximum.  Obviously, I can be wrong, but I need some sort of estimate to avoid going nuts.

My Current Plan

I am decently prepped for general disasters, so last-minute shopping can be accomplished with a CostCo run now.  There have been two cases in my state, so I think CostCo is safe now, but if the virus does become a serious pandemic, CostCo will become a place to avoid.  I currently need to restock some of the items that I drew down due to the move, hygiene items e.g. cleaning supplies, etc. but I can restock inexpensively.  I just need to get off my duff and go do it.

The current panic fad

Crazy stuff like surgical face masks are suffering from shortages, but what I need are mundane items like trash bags, cleaning supplies, etc.  I don’t need, and won’t need, a surgical mask in my own home.  I doubt that basic hygiene items will become shortage items, even if clearly medical items go out of stock.

The next issue after stocking up is to decide when to go into self-quarantine.  I’ve decided that I will go into quarantine when there is a case reported in my town.  The town has two zip codes and is about 10 miles across.  I will come out of quarantine when the last case in town is resolved.  At the moment there has not been a single case in the town.  It is a bit tough to get panicked when there are so few cases in the country.

The situation would become much worse if there were a likelihood of electricity failing.  After all, I haven’t installed a new generator since my move.  However, since this disease seems to simply make people sick and then they get better in a few weeks, I doubt we will lose electricity over it.  In order to have a long-term loss of power, we would need o knock out large numbers of utility workers for a considerable period.  However, I will need to address backup power needs down the road.

Conclusion

Perhaps I am able to look at this calmly because of the fact I am reasonably prepped already.  I don’t need more food, and I have a decent supply of most other supplies for a small household.  I would be in worse shape if the whole MAG showed up, but unless they show up ready to stay in through the self-quarantine, I don’t know why they would bother.  Why move from their homes to mine if they are just going to go to work every day?

I might feel much more worried about this if I was not already prepped for disasters in general.  Buying food for 10 or 20 people for up to six months, not to mention toilet paper, would be a significant expense, and somewhat difficult in the current panicky environment. 

Also, having been through hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and having airplanes come through the windows, this seems manageable.  As it is, I am ready to just sit inside with a good book, a glass of scotch, and a handgun on the table next to me.