Letter on the Wuhan Virus, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

The following are my comments to the SurvivalBlog article Post-Exposure Prevention (PEP) Protocol, by JJ in MI.

This is great to be considering post-exposure treatment. Our protective gear is likely to be *less than perfect*, and if we know we’ve been exposed we need a Plan B!

This study supports the use of PVP-I as an antiviral, although I do wonder about swabbing my nose with it!

Thinking in terms of what we can do *on the scene* when we realize we’ve been exposed, I’m wondering if it would be more convenient to use a Betadine spray, into our mouths (don’t spray your face or lips!), followed by a swig of water from a bottle, with gargling for a minute. Remember to NOT SWALLOW this!!!!

It seems to me that time is of the essence once exposed. The sooner we can gargle and swish the better, right? For my own family I’ve made up some saline nose spray bottles with two drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract and about 1/8 of a teaspoon of Xylitol. Supposedly the Xylitol helps wash microorganisms from your nose. I’d rather carry this solution in my pocket than Betadine that might ruin my clothes if it leaks. And I can use it immediately and discretely while in public.

As far as re-using an N95 mask goes, one of the dangers would be putting it back on if it really DOES have the virus on the outside. You’re putting it very near your eyes and would have to be *extremely* careful (goggles first).

Since the viruses don’t foul the mask like pollution or smoke or fallout would I don’t see why they couldn’t be re-used. But exposure to strong ultraviolet light might sanitize them better (sunlight, for as long as possible). I’m thinking that some N-95 mask – even re-used – is better than no N-95 mask, IF it comes to that.

Don’t spray the mask with liquids (diluted bleach comes to mind) or bake them – the mask works by having a huge network of *fuzzy fibers* to attract tiny particles as they make their way through. If the fuzzies get clumped together by being wetted (and dried) they aren’t going to work.

(The masks don’t actually block viruses – they’re too small to be stopped – but viruses in the air are usually embedded in tiny saliva droplets that are large enough to stop, although some free viruses will be caught by the fibers because of an electrostatic attraction.)

There are filter masks in the pipeline with copper and silver fiber elements, but best I can tell they’re not for sale yet…

Here’s my two cents for supplements that help with viral infections. My family is already taking some of these:

Vitamin A

Quercetin

Andrographis

Astragalus (immune stimulant)

Olive Leaf

Selenium

N acetyl cysteine (NAC)

Vitamin C
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3659258/

Guaifenesin (thins mucuous and makes bronchial cilia row faster to clear lungs better)

When treating a sick family member remember: this virus affects people’s respiration and that could require positioning them on the bed face down.

And, by the way, you can buy oxygen concentrators online via eBay, if you’ve got that kind of budget…

Last idea: Treating a sick family member at home (should professional medical care be overloaded) could burn through all of our N95 masks. This might be a better solution (and I can tell you from personal experience it’s more comfortable!):

It’s a powered filter hood. I’m guessing that with a little ingenuity preppers could improvise a 110v household power supply to run the motors so you’re not going through expensive C123 batteries!

Thank you JJ in MI and everyone else for your ideas! God have mercy on us all.

Hope this helps.

Trust God. Be prepared. We can do both!




22 Comments

  1. Oxygen Concentrator:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-6L-Oxygen-Concentrator-O2-Air-Purifier-Oxy-Generator-Machine-Home-Traval-Use/303438667611?hash=item46a65a9f5b:g:eLEAAOSwcOBeFyIv

    I am not a medical professional. Do not follow my advice. Perhaps someone with expertise will explain more. I believe that a big family that lives in a city, is at risk of having a member become sick with this virus. I know from personal experience that an oxygen concentrator can keep someone alive, and give them a chance to recover, when they would otherwise would die. If the pneumonia gets bad enough, this could make a huge difference. It could be very helpful should congestive heart failure be possible. Don’t let it go below 90%. If oxygen saturation is above 90, yet the heart rate is very high, dehydration is the first thing to address. An oxygen tent can be easily made for children. I’ve done this. These are some of the things I learned from listening to Dr. Alton of Survival Medicine. It is a simple tool that works wonders. You’ll need a finger tip oxygen/pulse meter to go with it:

    https://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Oximeter-Fingertip-Automatic-Saturation/dp/B082STMWB8/ref=sr_1_9?crid=1K6W9O8I6QZZA&keywords=oxygen+saturation+monitor&qid=1581324081&sprefix=oxygen%2Caps%2C425&sr=8-9

  2. Powered filtered hoods are used in the OR primarily in Total Joint surgeries. While I have never worn one personally, they appear to be comfortable, and are run off rechargeable batteries. I have to wonder why anyone would be drinking in one of these systems like the one displayed here though. They also are worn without mask. Usually the mask is removed by the circulating Nurse, after the hood is donned by the doctor and scrub personnel. This is only to maintain sterility and would not be necessary in an everyday setting. They do decrease hearing. I am glad someone is still working on this problem. Good Job!

    Ice Age Farmer released a video Sat. regarding medical compounds coming from China, or other countries. I verified this with two chemist that work in Pharmaceuticals. This is correct. It appears that all our out sourcing of supplies coming from moving to overseas factories is going to haunt us in a big way. Get prepared folks.

  3. Thanks ShepherdFarmerGeek, and to everyone that commented in this and the other article as well. On having a “Plan B”, I couldn’t agree more. If we think in terms of the masks and gloves being a ballistic vest as our first line of defense, then the PVP-I / PEP plan might be the blowout kit we carry just in case.

    I’m not qualified to comment on the Betadine spray but I like the idea. I had considered adding PVP-I to saline nasal spray bottles too, although I couldn’t find anything on the safety of using it in that manner so I stuck with the plan of swabbing the nostrils instead – although I hope someone more knowledgeable than me might clarify that one way or the other. Paging Doc Cindy? I do think there’s probably lots of room for improvement in my plan, and thanks again to everyone for sharing ideas on how it might be made better.

  4. Short of becoming a recluse I believe most of this effort is a waste of time. You cannot do it 24/7 and you only need one breath of air with the virus to infect you. If the virus becomes pandemic you will be exposed to it no matter if you wear two face masks and wash your hands every five minutes. About the only good advice I have seen regarding this latest scare is stay away from cruise ships.

    1. OneGuy,
      I must agree with you. Some prevention “tips” can be more dangerous than the actual disease. I will reuse a mask when cutting grass, but never in disease prevention. It would be removed and discarded prior to entering my home. Don’t reuse gloves either and I wouldn’t try to clean them. They come in boxes of 100 for $10, just discard them. As for your immune system, eat well and exercise. Some supplements contain many times more or less than the listed amount (they aren’t regulated). If you think some vitamins are good so more is better, then please educate yourself. Excess amounts of certain vitamins are highly dangerous. There are some betadine mouthwashes on the market if you choose that route. Obviously not a good idea if you have an allergy or a thyroid condition. But as OneGuy states, you’re going to have literally have to rinse, swish, irrigate or whatever basically every time you take a breath.

      1. One breath exposure to an offending virus is highly unlikely to result in disease, unless your immune system is extremely compromised.

        A high concentration of invaders or a consistent attack is more likely to overwhelm your immune response.

        I agree, One Guy, that excess worry about all this is counterproductive. Remember, too, that accepting the love of another and giving love strengthen the immune system. And it is free.

        Carry on

        1. Yes, one breath is all it takes even if you have the Superman of immune systems. Tests have shown that it takes no more than a dozen virus cells to infect a person and you can literally inhale millions in one breathe. As for your immune system it does not kick in until the virus has infected your cells and begins to multiply and by then the numbers are in the billions. Your immune system responds and that is the week or so of felling lousy. Your immune system works but it works slowly there is no immediate response.

          Most people who die from the flu die as a result of a secondary infection that the virus has so weakened you that you cannot fight the secondary infection. The secondary infection is hard to predict but one very real possibility is a bacterial pneumonia and you can protect yourself from that by getting the pneumonia vaccine.

          1. One Guy, I think Tunnel Rabbit’s suggestion of the Oxygen Concentrator from Craig’s list coupled with using a plain vanilla finger pulse oximeter from Amazon for $16 might save the life of your family member. Basically, healthcare services will get overrun – your family member is sick and you can at least monitor their blood oxygen levels and then supplement.

            Thank you TUNNEL Rabbit. You rock.

  5. Finally! Some real numbers coming from an actual doctor on the front lines in China. Please do yourself a favor and read the entire article which I have linked at the bottom. It’s a very readable article. Try not to cry when you get to the end.

    Also, the mortality rate he mentions in the article represents the mortality rate for people who are very sick and in the intensive care unit, not the overall morality rate of people getting the virus. That mortality rate will be much lower. As a comparison, the mortality rate for the common flu this winter for Americans is 7% for those who end up in the hospital, but only 0.1% for the overall population getting the flu. That means the mortality rate for this cornoavirus looks like it is going to turn out to be pretty low for the general population if what this Chinese doctor is saying is true.

    Here are some key snippets from the article (he appears to have given the interview on Feb 3rd):

    “I’ve observed that the breakout period of the novel coronavirus tends to be three weeks, from the onset of symptoms to developing difficulties breathing. Basically going from mild to severe symptoms takes about a week. There are all sorts of mild symptoms: feebleness, shortness of breath, some people have fevers, some don’t. Based on studies of our 138 cases, the most common symptoms in the first stage are fever (98.6 per cent of cases), feebleness (69.6 per cent), cough (59.4 per cent), muscle pains (34.8 per cent), difficulties breathing (31.2%), while less common symptoms include headaches, dizziness, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.

    “But some patients who enter the second week will suddenly get worse. At this stage, people should go to the hospital.

    “For most, the illness is over in two weeks, whereas for those for whom the illness becomes severe, if they can survive three weeks, they’re good. Those that can’t will die in three weeks.

    “Based on my clinical observations, this disease is highly contagious, but the mortality rate is low. Those that progressed into the life-threatening stage often occurred in the elderly already with chronic diseases.

    “As of Jan 28, of 138 cases, 36 were in the ICU, 28 recovered, five died. That is to say, the mortality rate of patients with severe conditions was 3.6 per cent. Yesterday (Feb 3), another patient died, bringing the mortality rate to 4.3 per cent. Given patients in the ICU, it is likely to have more deaths. The mortality rate is also likely to edge up but not significantly.

    “Those hospitalised tend to have severe or life-threatening conditions. Patients with slight symptoms are placed in quarantine at home. We have not gathered data on the percentage of cases that progress from slight symptoms to serious symptoms.

    “…57 were infected while being hospitalised, including 17 patients already hospitalised in other departments; and 40 medical staff, among 138 cases (as of Jan 28). That demonstrates that a hospital is a high-risk zone and appropriate protection must be taken.”

    https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/reporters-notebook-life-and-death-in-a-wuhan-coronavirus-icu

    1. St Funogas,

      Good data, Great story, tear jerking ending. Excellent medical staff, yet many were sick. What happens if everyone is sick? And there is only a limited number of machines in the ICU. It is instructive that oxygen is key. Without it, the fatality rate would be much higher. This is only one small sample, and data set and outcomes from a fully functioning modern hospital. Much more is needed. As resources are expended, and personnel exhausted and sick, the quality of care is decreased. What would be the fatality rate of those who cannot access modern medicine? Will the virus mutate? If it is highly contagious as the doctor characterized, how can we expect what little modern medicine there is to be available during the peak of the pandemic? Already PPE is limited. It’s not over until it is over, and we can’t know how it will behave in the U.S., and how Americans deal with it. Certainly the economic ramifications will be significant.

      Glad I’m a recluse somewhere in the mountains of Montana. In past years, even a single trip to the store would cause me to become sick with something. I should have gone to the hospital at least twice last year, but could not afford it, so I cured myself. Since then I’ve boosted my immune system, but given my lousy health history, it is best to isolate myself as best as possible. I have a friend who can do shopping for me when he goes shopping for his family, if need be. But I already have enough not to have to shop at all for many years if need be. There are ways to limit exposure. I’d use them all.

      Here is admission from the Chinese goobermint about their lying about the numbers:

      https://www.naturalnews.com/2020-02-10-china-changes-definition-of-infected-to-rig-officially-reported-coronavirus-numbers.html

      3 videos from Mike Adams… thought provoking:

      * Coronavirus Pandemic: Start thinking beyond containment
      Watch this video
      https://www.brighteon.com/b056bd96-7e28-4bfd-b63a-fbba30077f75

      * Same media liars downplaying the Coronavirus pandemic once spread panic over the measles
      Watch this video
      https://www.brighteon.com/78dc576c-c533-4112-b872-bbafaaf322d5

      * China orders citizens to murder their own pets to stop coronavirus
      Watch this video
      https://www.brighteon.com/2ed50754-c128-4064-b64b-dee7a8040c48

      1. Hey Tunnel Rabbit, you and me both, glad I live so far out in the boonies it’ll be a cinch to self-isolate if it becomes necessary. I think I’m even farther out than you are, I can’t even watch YouTubes on my limited internet availability. 🙂 I only go to town two or three times a month to get the mail so if I had to skip it for three months due to an outbreak, no big deal. Since I’m in that most susceptible male-over-60-geezer group, I’m not even going to bother with PPE, I’ll self isolate and ping my front gate with my Henry .22 if anyone ignores my Keep Out sign. I’m getting one of those steel plates you talked about, lol.

        Somebody here pointed out the other day that if we had as many people sick here as they do in China, there’d be a lot of medical people calling in sick and staging walkouts, and with our crazy profit-driven “health care” system, I can’t say I’d blame them. In China, they have a gun to their heads and no choice in the matter, I’m guessing, so they have to show up to work. If it gets to epidemic proportions here, there’s really no predicting what will happen because of factors like that that don’t exist in China.

        1. St Funogas,

          That is exactly right, and what I’m thinking. This country ain’t no China.

          It’s gonna be a very different rodeo here, and most will operate in their own self interest from medical personal down to the entry level city employee. Any body in the public. They have already angered the gun owners, and a flood of anti 2A legislation is already in the pipe. ‘Cooperation’ will have nothing to do with what happens here. This virus does not even need to be as severe as the Spanish Flu to potentially create chaos, and mayhem in the big cities. The Chinese, although under the thumb of tyranny, are actually pulling off a monumental task with impressive efficiency and effect. With greater precision than any military, and on a massive scale involving at least 75 million people. It is truly astonishing. Our government in comparison, is totally inept, held in contempt on one hand, and worshiped by the drooling brain dead, and entitled idiots on the other. It lacks any kind of real disaster preparedness planning. The ideas of civil defense is complete dead. And even if they were to muster up any actionable plan, it would be likely herding feral cats. And if the threat of force is employed, gun owners just ain’t gonna put up with it.

          By the time this pandemic is in the U.S really gets going, even if mild, the cheeep Chinese stuff that we desperately need will not be available. No more Wally mart stuff, no more cheap meds for the sick and dying, no tools to fix the machines, parts to make much of anything, then lay offs everywhere, prices rapidly rising, civil unrest, and more would begin shortly after the onset. And Trump might loose as the slobbering brain-deads come out big, or get sold on a socialist plan promising everything for nothing. Trump can dump all the infinite helicopter money he has, yet it will become quickly meaningless, and banks will at a point, refuse to do business.

          This pandemic is about more than just a nasty bug.

      2. My new in the bag Czech filters and masks arrived today. Thanks for the tip and the links you posted awhile back.

        I’m putting the WallyWorld supply chain thru a test now. Just ordered more antibiotics for my imaginary fish. I have kept Alton’s book by my bedside for continued review and shopping list updates. We’ll see if any are still in the supply chain here or not. All of it is made in China.

        Stocking up ain’t cheap, but an oxygen concentrator is next on my shopping list.

        As far as numbers of sick vs. dead for statistical analysis, when the hospitals got full in china and they admit they are refusing entrance to the sick who are in the second stage of illness, and entire medical staffs get ill and have started dying, it is immaterial to crank numbers. They simply cannot be accurate and obscure the hands-on dedicated effort we need to apply for group survival in this pandemic.

        Time to put on our big boy pants and prepare for a worse one to come. Corona is just a preparatory plague. Think of it a realistic training.

        1. Hi Wheatley Fisher,

          Thanks for letting me know Glad to have helped some one. It makes sense that these are a much more effective option than the N95 masks that now probably cost more than the replacement NBC filters for the M10 Czech mask, that I picked up for only $2.00 per pair, plus shipping. These are new masks. The NBC filters should be in a sealed mylar packaging, and be gray in color. These should look like this:
          https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gasmaskandrespirator/images/f/f6/20170502_144243.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/185?cb=20170507133755

          The white filter that comes in a standard bag is good for only tear gas, pepper spray, and other chemicals, and other smelly things. Good for skunk hunting too. Believe me, you’ll want a mask for rotting things. I would practice removing and replacing filters using this set. I would also prefit the mask now so it is good to go when needed. Adjust straps, suck air and holding hands over the inlet to create a vacuum to ensure the outlet valve does not leak, and the seal around the face is good. Adjusting straps can fix leaks around the face to mask. One size fits 95 % of faces. At 2 bucks per filter set, these are disposable, but could be used in a dust free environment for up to 8 hours. The inlet could be sealed off when not in use with duct tape, and the mask decontaminated thereafter.

          It’s better to bring more to a fight than is the normally assumed ‘good enough’. At our age, good enough, ain’t good enough, and this is also, more than good enough, and inexpensive.

          Dr. Alton recommends Thomas labs as a supplier of good quality veterinary grade antibiotics. This is where I wouldn’t scrimp unless I had to. https://fishmoxfishflex.com/

          Regards,
          Tunnel Rabbit

          1. Great points. I got the $3.99 per pair NBC filters ordered before I realized the other company had $2.99 per pair, but 20 sets for $80 bucks was still a good buy.

            Yes way back in the 1970s we got careful instruction in Basic Combat Training on mask assembly, disassembly, and decontamination.

            Also very important is that NO CBR/NBC filters will prevent toxic vapors from getting us. Fuel, gasoline, paint thinner, xylene, coleman fuel, certain nerve agents, insecticide vapors, cooking vapors, and such, will go right through the filters and kill or disable us……..or the enemy.

            One Doomsday Prepper show had people making their own homemade pepper spray that was so effective that while cooking it up in their kitchen they were overwhelmed even through their gas masks.

            On the Czech masks, I found the versions with drinking tubes as well, so got 2 of those as first choice, with 2 of the non-drinking tube versions for backup/outfitting stray volunteers who might show up at our place.

            God Bless

  6. The best defense against the Cornonavirus, as well as any transmittable disease, is what Remus from The Woodpile Report states – “Stay Away From Crowds”. I realize this is pretty hard for some of us living in the more populated areas and cannot leave easily, for whatever reason. But still, use your head and limit interaction with the masses, reducing your exposure…. You just might find you enjoy a bit of solitude. Surprising how much you can accomplish without all the “social distractions”…

  7. The governments are still treating the Wuhan, China, Coronavirus Flu as a dangerous ~>pandemic; NOT as just another seasonal Flu strain.

    Coronavirus 2019-nCoV Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE … Now has an update of the Wuhan Flu cases.
    hub[[.]]jhu[[.]]edu/2020/01/23/coronavirus-outbreak-mapping-tool-649-em1-art1-dtd-health/

    The John Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering >Map is used by other websites too.
    kungflu[[.]]net/

    I didn’t drop a link; it’s not my site. Always be careful about computer viruses, and pandemic viruses too.
    Survivalblog has information about the dangerous of both problems.

  8. Awesome collaboration here on such an important issue!!!

    1. Since pneumonia is one of the complications of this virus I’m wondering if the Pneumovax vaccine could help. (Yes, I have issues with the flu vax, but some vaccines work and are very helpful.)

    2. Gargling and swabbing our noses with Betadine/Povidone-Iodine is only going to disinfect a small percentage of inhaled viruses that will have proceeded directly to our lungs. And unless we can gargle and swab immediately after inhalation the flow of mucus in our upper respiratory system will wash the viruses into our throats where we can’t reach them with gargling and swabbing. That said, desperate people do desperate things. Don’t be that person.

    3. https://whatkillsit.com/virus/what-kills-coronavirus/ This person went to a LOT of trouble to document which disinfectants actually advertise they kill coronaviruses. Take a look at the list and get an effective product!

    4. It’s probably not accurate to say that our immune system is inert until an infection reaches a certain threshold. But it does take it a while to spin up after it recognizes an invader. All we can do is be sure our immune systems have the raw materials to respond properly – good nutrition and supplementation that is clinically proven to assist. That and minimize our exposure the best we can.

    5. https://survivalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Wheel-of-Doom.jpg This sure seems to me like The Real Deal. And like all of these potential crises that we’ve been preparing for (for decades, some of us), we must not surrender to panic or despair. Do what you know to do. As Wheatley Fisher noted above, this is probably just the beginning of sorrows to come. May God give you Courage! And Peace!

    6. Pull together with other preppers, save as many as you can. https://survivalblog.com/save-them-by-shepherdfarmergee/

    7. Maintain perspective:

    “I have the same mixture of excitement and terror you get when the roller coaster car is a-l-m-o-s-t to the top to begin the drop! I believe that as we follow Jesus into this adventure we will see Him do amazing things, we will be used by God in amazing ways, and we will grow closer to Him than ever before. “…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (Rom. 5:20)

    As the darkness falls His light within us grows brighter. We will not be alone. Though we should be preparing now for all we’re worth, His hand of Providence will be our best defense. Trust Him.

    There is great joy ahead, even in the midst of the sorrows. And beyond it all – and maybe sooner than we think – the Presence of the One for whom we have so long sought.

    – ShepherdFarmerGeek, https://survivalblog.com/hughs-quote-of-the-day-482/

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