Prepare: Protection from Swine Flu Pandemic

An entire school district in Texas shut down for the next week it was announced last night. That is a district in a city of about half a million people. And they are not alone..

Other districts and schools are shutting down as well. The fear is that one student will infect others who in turn will take it home and the whole cart goes downhill from there. No surprise, just the surprise is that is has happened so fast. It was only over the past weekend the whole "swine flu" thing exploded into the main stream press.

Are there ways to protect yourself from viruses, flu and pandemic? There are ways to increase your chances of NOT getting a flu or virus, but remember, nothing is guaranteed besides avoiding sick people to begin with.

First, the obvious. Stay away from infected people. Don't drink or eat after them. Avoid public places. Don't use public water fountains. Keep kids away from playground equipment, water parks, and indoor play areas found at restaurants.

But having some protection is wise as well. I already told you that I purchased a box of masks for my family and it is the smartest precaution you can take. There are a number of masks available.

The Disposable EARLOOP Face MASK is familiar from hospitals. Many experts recommend these as they are lightweight, inexpensive and due to their widespread use, may not frighten small children.

My favorite however is the Influenza N95 Mask which I purchased. I keep three in my work bag, one in each of my childrens school bag and one by the front door ready to put on when strangers come by.

I saw this particular mask online but I have no idea if it is good or not, but it is pretty interesting. Wein N99 Pandemic Flu Protection ViraMask With Viraseal It might be scary to small children though.

Hands and fingers are how most illnesses get into our system. Touch a surface that a sick person has been near, put a finger in the mouth, nose or eye and bingo: You have been exposed.

Two things. Gloves and hand sanitizer (and the obvious - keep fingers out of face. I have to tell my kids that a couple of hundred times a day!). I think you are going to start seeing more people out and about wearing Medical Exam Gloves for the same reason hospitals do: they keep germs away from hands.

And sanitizer, like washing your hands cannot be stressed more. You can make sanitizer yourself.
- Aloe Vera gel (one cup)
- Rubbing alcohol (two teaspoons)
- Some lavender oil for a pleasant smell
- Tea tree oil and oregano oil (optional) for additional anti-viral protection.

My wife whipped up a big batch of this yesterday and filled several pump bottles for around the house use. And it smells nicer than the store bought product.

Taking vitamins helps, but you should have done this some time ago to build your immune system. Vitamins A, C, E along with zinc, selenium, and herbs echinacea and golden seal. We take an elderberry extract called Sambucol as well. My kids take a teaspoon before school and another when they get home. Herbalists swear this stuff can knock an infection off its socks before it takes hold. My wife swears by it when she starts to get a cold.

Finally, get plenty of rest. Try to not get so stressed; stress lowers your immune system. Drink lots of fluids like water, juice and plenty of green tea. Stay fit; a healthy body can fight off infection better than a sick one. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. All things your grandmother would have done fifty years ago.

But the best advice of all is stay away from sick people. Like the schools, we may have to shut down most public gatherings until this thing burns itself out.

Swine Flu Guide Available Online

Prepare: How To Prepare For Swine Flu

Or for any other pandemic.

Good news about the swine flu, it is not passed at random. You have to be exposed to someone who has the virus (or a pig who does, but most of us won't have that problem).

The old advice is the best advice:

- Stay away from sick people! If someone is sneezing and blowing their nose, get away from them. This is not a joke but a fact of life.

- Don't eat or drink after another. You never know if they have the virus in dormant stages.

- If you have to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with something like a handkerchief or kleenex. (I hate those idiots who sneeze with their head stuck out, face uncovered as loud as they possibly can in a crowded room). After using the kleenex, throw it away. If it is a handkerchief put it away. Then wash your hands very well. (And then go home and get away from other people).

- Stay away from crowded public places. Sick people seem to love to congregate in churches, big retail stores, hospital emergency rooms, and schools. If you can work from home - do. If you can pull your kids from school, pull them. Only shop in the early morning or late night hours. Wear gloves or carry sanitizing wipes to wipe down grocery cart handles or baskets. Don't eat the samples in the grocery store for crying out loud!

- Use common sense. Wash hands frequently. Avoid touching eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Get plenty of rest. Eat properly.

OK, now MY list of preparedness advice the mass media and government don't want to talk about.

- Get some N95 masks today. They are far better than the surgical type masks (the blue ones) you see everyone wearing. The big box hardware stores generally carry them in the tool section or near paint. Word to the wise: They have been selling like hotcakes but Amazon has them in stock. 3M - N95 Respirator/Flu Mask, 20 Pack It is not adviseable to wear these multiple times. If you have one on for a short time, it can be reused. After exertion i.e. sweat and spittle (sorry to be gross, but the flu is worse!), the effectiveness of the mask goes down.

- Stock up on food, water and gasoline. Go fill the car up and at least one five gallon can. Buy several weeks of real food like canned and packaged foods, rice, beans, and so on. Get as many cases of bottled water as you can afford. Get a good quality water filter and some large containers.

Why? Well what happens when this swine flu gets out of hand and the grocers close? Or the truckers start getting sick? Also, this just another reason to have a garden for some additional food.

- Stock up on cash at home. Pay bills online. What happens when the banks close? So pay some of those bills in advance just in case.

- Get plenty of bleach and cleaning products. Clean your home and clothing very well now. Wipe surfaces constantly with anti-bacterial wipes. Keep Lysol spray handy and spray toys and eating surfaces as well as beds daily. Keep an N95 mask next to the front door. You may have to start wearing them whenever someone comes to the house.

- Have over the counter medicines, but stock up on alternative products as well. Like elderberry supplements marketed as Sambucol. You should have been taking regular supplements like vitamins and herbs already. If not, stock up on some as well as herbs like goldenseal and echinacea.

If you think you are getting the flu, remember to hydrate. Dehydration is a symptom of diarrhea, so get lots of gatorade and make rehydration drinks with sugar, salt and filtered water.

- If anyone does get sick in the family, quarantine them from the rest. Have a room designated as a sick room. Have clean sheets and bedding ready. Thoroughly clean the infected person's room, bedding and clothing. Keep them comfortable and well dosed with plenty of fluids.

Stay in contact with your health care provider and let them know of all symptoms as they occur.

You and your family can survive a pandemic, but you have to use common sense and courtesy. Most of all, stay away from others if you are sick and take all steps to get well as soon as possible. If you have not been exposed, do all possible to avoid being around other sick people. And no matter what anyone else says, get prepared now.

Swine Flu Guide Available Online

Prepare: Dealing with Swine Flu and Pandemics

Yikes! This time its not Avian (bird) flu, its the pig version - swine flu.

Swine flu is a virus which pigs get and is like the flu humans get. One very big problem - it can be transferred to other pigs and humans. That's not very nice.

What's worse, is humans can transfer it to other humans and it is very contagious.

The final note; Swine is flu is potentially fatal and has proven so in several cases in Mexico.

Apparently, the flu broke out in Mexico, infected at the very least several hundred people before moving across the border into the United States. [Note: some sources are saying the real estimate is thousands of cases in Mexico where it is overwhelming the health care system and being hushed up by the government].

Swine flu has some of the typical symptoms of other flu bugs. From the CDC website:

The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.


Let's get serious: The swine flu could get out of control just like any other pandemic could. Unlike raiders or looters or riots, viruses can't be stopped with firepower and threats. Only with quarantines, personal protection equipment and dillegence can we avoid catching a bug.

First, avoid sick people. It sounds easy, but is harder than we think. For instance, avoid places with potential sick people like mega stores, sports events, school, work and travel. Airplanes are my particular nemesis during an outbreak. Sick people have a tendancy to think everyone else wants their bug and they board up stuffy nose, fever and all.

The same type of person sends their child to school with a runny nose, mile fever and aches so Mom can have her "time off". If the flu comes to your kids school, pull them as soon as possible. By the way, ask your school what the policy is regarding outbreaks. What do they do about sick children? Do they let them stay?

Next, do you have personal protection equipment? Go to the hardware store and pick up a big ole box of N95 masks. I did some time ago and keep them in my work bag, in the car and in my kids backpacks. In other countries people routinely wear masks to avoid sickness in public places. We might want to start doing the same thing in the U.S. before long.

Also get some hand sanitizer. Get the big size and some of the smaller hand sizes too. You can make hand sanitizer out of alcohol, aloe vera gel and vegetable glycerin. Wash hands frequently with soap and water especially when out in public.

It would be nice to have a doctor friend and stock up on Tamiflu, but some viruses are not affected by Tamiflu or other drugs. It is better to get some elderberry extract and supplements from the health food store. I picked up Sambucol, vitamins C, D, E and other antioxidants, echinacea and zinc. I nave been dosing myself regularly since this whole thing broke out.

Keep your home clean too. Routinely use disinfectant and bleach on all surfaces to kill viruses if they get in the house. We also strip the beds at least twice a week, wash bedding in hot water and detergent and spray the mattresses with Lysol. My wife has covers and pads for all the pillows and mattresses as well.

My kids have been trained to blow their nose with tissues and wash immediately afterward. We never use handkerchiefs but tissues which can be thrown away and disposed of. We also have the kids change their clothes and wash school clothing after they come home from school. No reason to bring anything home and into the house.

This morning before school, we told the kids to do what we do; avoid anyone with cold symptoms. Don't play with them or sit next to them in the cafeteria. Sounds harsh but its not my problem that some thoughtless mom sent her kids to school sick.

Finally, there is quarantine. If its swine flu or bird flu or whatever, are you ready to quarantine at home? What is the government declares a state of emergency and puts in place a curfew. Schools closed, non-essential businesses shut down, workers told to stay home.. Do you have cash on hand? The ability to pay bills for an extended time? What about a stockpile of food and water? Better get stocked up now if you have not already.

Here are a few great resources I found online during the avian flu scare. They are still pertinent for swine flu.

http://www.getpandemicready.org/
http://www.fluwikie.com/
http://www.fluwikie.com/index.php?n=Consequences.PandemicPreparednessGuides
Swine Flu Guide Online