Preps for Coronavirus by A.J.S.

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Coronarvirus Simplified and Explained with Suggested Actions

At this late stage the time for preparedness has largely passed but it is not entirely too late. Please read the following and consider either preparing accordingly or supplementing your current preps accordingly.

Background Info:

The novel coronavirus (COVID 19) currently spreading rapidly around the globe is reportedly spread primarily by droplets (think the size droplets you get when you sneeze–big enough to feel most of the time) with some spread being reported by airborne particles (think the size of the dust motes that you see suspended in the air if the sunlight hits them just right). What this means in practical terms is that most of the time people get the virus when someone contagious coughs or sneezes into their hand and touches an object (think doorknobs) or directly onto an object and then someone else touches it and subsequently touches their eyes, nose or mouth which introduces the virus into the body or when someone sneezes or coughs into the air at a distance of less than 4-6 feet from you and you inhale the droplets. Those size droplets usually fall out of the air within a few feet.

There is practically no chance of it going through intact unbroken skin into the body; that is simply not how it works. Some people–specifically the people on the cruise ship–reportedly got it from those much smaller particles that suspend in the air which is called airborne transmission. What makes this such a challenge to contain is that these size particles suspend in the air for a long time–they get sucked up into HVAC systems and recirculated, they drift on air currents etc.

The only real way to be assured of avoiding these particles is to wear both a N95 mask AND goggles for eye protection. Fortunately the risk of getting it this route is much lower unless you are in certain specific circumstances (in a building or on a cruise ship where the air is recirculated and you are constantly exposed and re-exposed until finally enough makes it into your body to cause you to get sick). Masks and goggles can prevent this type of exposure and reduce this risk however, the biggest reason masks and goggles are helpful is simply because they serve as a physical reminder and barrier to keep you from touching your eyes, nose and mouth which are the three places where viruses of all types most commonly enter your body.

This particular virus is very easily spread–according to info I am seeing online it spreads as much as 6 times quicker and easier than the flu and as much as 3-4 times easier than the stomach flu–in other words it spreads FAST! Making things worse, there is no natural immunity anywhere in any human population–no one has ever been exposed to it and developed antibodies to fight it off before now so everyone is susceptible to getting it. Fortunately it is not a devastatingly deadly disease.

Assuming adequate medical care it kills about 2-3% of the people who get it. Another 16% will have serious complications and end up hospitalized– with a smaller percentage in ICU, on a ventilator for a week to 2 weeks and then recover. The common flu kills about 0.2% of the people who get it and about that many more require hospitalization. Much like the seasonal flu is currently and chicken pox was when we were kids, if this coronavirus persists for long enough pretty much everyone will eventually get it–it is too contagious not too.

The biggest goal of the public health sector is to slow it down so that hospitals and the healthcare system aren’t overwhelmed. As a simplified example: if your hospital has 10 ICU beds and 100 people need an ICU bed right now its a bad, bad day but if 10 people need them this week, ten next week and ten for each of the following 8 weeks then its no big deal. Most of the things that should be coming down the pipe will be to try to spread the illness out over time so that it can be better managed. The impact this has is very, very, obvious when you look at China–in cities with a low caseload the death rate is 2-3% but in Hubei province where the system is totally overwhelmed it is about 4-5%.

The other hope is that by delaying and slowing the spread that summer will get here and as the traditional flu season ends the spread will slow down naturally. I personally suspect that it will slow down over the summer here in the USA but will be running rampant through South America and Africa during their winter and will then come sweeping back through the US next winter again. By the following year we should have vaccine production ramped up enough to make an actual difference.

What you can do:

1) Prepare and implement what are termed “Non-pharmacological interventions” by the CDC.

A) Isolation at home and home (self) treatment for mild to moderate cases. This includes having a supply of medication to treat the symptoms of the common flu–cough drops, cough syrup, tylenol, etc.
Simply put: stay home; if you get a cold or the flu treat yourself for as long as you can using all the OTC remedies and options at your disposal. Only go to the hospital if you develop a severe case.

B) Voluntary home quarantine and isolation if exposed or at high risk of serious complications. This includes several weeks to several months of food, medication, basic necessities and a way to stay occupied and fight boredom.
Again, simply put: stay home. Avoid any public place and avoid interacting with people that have been in those places until they have showered, changed clothes and washed their hands.

C) Dismissal of students from school/childcare etc. Prepare and plan for schools, daycare’s etc to be shut down and have arrangements made for same.
This isn’t an issue for everyone but boy is it a major issue for some people! If it is not an issue for you consider helping out with the kids of any family members that work in a critical field–if you do make sure they wash their hands regularly and make sure that they aren’t bringing the germs to you!

D) Use of Social Distancing measures to “reduce contact between adults in the community and workplace, including, for example, cancellation of large public gatherings and alteration of workplace environments and schedules to decrease social density and preserve a healthy workplace to the greatest extent possible without disrupting essential services.” Plan on limiting your encounters with people–maintain 6′ of separation between individuals, avoid sharing close spaces, avoid handshakes, avoid crowded environments such as buses and public transit, avoid public restrooms, avoid any gathering of people.

Again, it boils down to staying home and avoiding people. If you are a deacon, elder, pastor, rabbi or church leader of any flavor consider canceling services or doing a conference call or facebook live video feed of your service from an empty church to your congregation–you can see to their spiritual well-being without exposing them to the dangers of a public gathering. If you have to go out to the store, the doctor, etc. stay well away from everyone you can, avoid shaking hands, hugging etc. Consider wearing gloves and a mask if going to an area where people frequent–especially places where lots of sick people are. A quick aside about the public restrooms, there is a cluster of cases in Hong Kong where a leaky sewer pipe is suspected of infecting a bunch of people which suggests that the virus (known to be present in feces) was aerosolized into the air from the septic system. Other research has suggested that a toilet that is flushed with the lid open generates enough aerosolized feces to sometimes spread diseases–given its virulence this disease might well be spread that way–so avoid public restrooms.

2) Maintain good hygiene–wash your hands regularly, bathe daily, if around groups of people or potentially exposed to someone who is ill, wash your clothes when you get home and take a shower. Remove your shoes at the door so you aren’t tracking in germs. Don’t share food or drinks. I know this sounds pretty basic but as a Paramedic when I get off work or after dealing with a patient that is contagious, I wash my hands at the ER and when I get back to the station I leave my shoes at the door, strip my outer clothes off directly into the washer and start it, go directly to the shower and take a hot shower and wash off thoroughly. Then I’ll get dressed, put on a pair of gloves and go Lysol my shoes. It isn’t perfect but it helps.

3) If local cases are reported consider wearing a N95 mask and goggles any time you are in a public area if you have them available–note that fit-testing is recommended to ensure that the mask seals appropriately and that facial hair prevents a mask seal. Also note that while surgical masks (simple masks) are not as effective they will remind you not to touch your face which DOES help some. Note that all healthcare providers especially should err on the side of caution and approach all patients with any related complaint as if they were confirmed as having the virus–this COVID 19 has already infected about 2000 healthcare workers so there is absolutely no room for being cocky or taking chances.

4) Get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, practice good nutrition and maintain a healthy immune system. The healthier you are the quicker and easier your body can fight infection.

What you should consider stocking up on:

1) Food. To stay at home and isolate yourself most effectively, you want to eliminate your need to go out to the store so you should have plenty of food. One of the best ways I have heard to do this is to make a meal plan for 2 weeks worth of meals that you would regularly eat (pinto beans and cornbread and potato soup for two days, spaghetti for one day, leftover spaghetti turned into baked spaghetti for one day…etc for 2 weeks) and then take that menu and write out all the ingredients necessary to prepare each of those meals and multiply it by 6 or 7 to have a 3 months supply of food that you enjoy eating. Then go buy all that and store it/freeze it etc. Consider substitutions for items that you can only get fresh (evaporated or powdered milk–>fresh milk) (biscuits for sliced bread) etc. I’d also include PET FOOD in this category since Fido has to eat too.

2) OTC Cold and Flu Meds plus Multivitamins: to treat yourself at home you should have a variety of OTC meds and remedies from basic tylenol/aspirin, to stuff to make a hot toddy, to Alka Seltzer Plus. The multivitamins make up for any deficiencies in your diet. Also consider getting stuff for other common ailments like indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, etc. so that you do not have to go to the store if one of these things happens.

3) Prescription meds: I get all my scripts filled in a 3 month supply so I don’t have to go to the pharmacy as often. See if you can do the same. Pharmacies are usually full of sick people.

4) Hygiene Items, Cleaning products and disinfectants: be sure and stock up on toilet paper, soap, Lysol, bleach, laundry detergent, dish soap etc. All these are your first line of defense against spreading an infection. Also, look in your bathroom and in your cabinets and get anything you use regularly–again you don’t want to be elbowing people out of the way at Walmart when half of them end up having the infection.

5) Masks and goggles: Good luck finding these right now. I have been looking and haven’t seen any. You really need N95 or N100 masks but again any mask is better than none.

6) Gloves: again good luck finding any. Nitrile exam gloves are probably preferable but kitchen rubber gloves would work in a pinch I guess.

7) Any addictions you have: Now is probably not the time you are going to quit. Double Stock whatever poison or distraction you prefer because when you are cooped up at home you’ll be desperate enough for a cigarette or a drink or romance novel or whatever that you’ll risk getting infected to go buy more.

8) Entertainment Options: get something to keep you occupied and then get something else. Board games, card games, video games, a whittling/carving set, whatever just know that self-imposed isolation makes days really drag by.

I hope this helps and is not too long to be useful.


82 Comments

  1. TUNNEL RABBIT
    1 hour ago
    Stolen from survivalblog.com https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195670120300463
    ” On different types of materials it can remain infectious for from 2 hours up to 9 days. A higher temperature such as 30°C or 40°C reduced the duration of persistence of highly pathogenic MERS-CoV, TGEV and MHV. However, at 4°C persistence of TGEV and MHV can be increased to ≥ 28 days. Few comparative data obtained with SARS-CoV indicate that persistence was longer with higher inocula (Table I). In addition it was shown at room temperature that HCoV-229E persists better at 50% compared to 30% relative humidity [8].”

    “Inactivation of coronaviruses by biocidal agents in suspension tests
    Ethanol (78–95%), 2-propanol (70–100%), the combination of 45% 2-propanol with 30% 1-propanol, glutardialdehyde (0.5–2.5%), formaldehyde (0.7–1%) and povidone iodine (0.23–7.5%) readily inactivated coronavirus infectivity by approximately 4 log10 or more. (Table II). Sodium hypochlorite required a minimal concentration of at least 0.21% to be effective. Hydrogen peroxide was effective with a concentration of 0.5% and an incubation time of 1 min. Data obtained with benzalkonium chloride at reasonable contact times were conflicting. Within 10 min a concentration of 0.2% revealed no efficacy against coronavirus whereas a concentration of 0.05% was quite effective. 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate was basically ineffective (Table II).”

    Posted originally by Once A Marine. Good stuff:

    https://www.youtube.com/redirect?stzid=UgxHT51PcM9beKIMvWN4AaABAg.9658oHUyvqS965FUzD9rKa&event=comments&q=https%3A%2F%2Fthreadreaderapp.com%2Fthread%2F1237209701315686400.html&redir_token=EnQruyE2LJDpjx-fgUWOUWuxuMl8MTU4NDA4MzI4NkAxNTgzOTk2ODg2

    1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold
    2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
    3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27C degrees (or roughly 80F ). It hates the Sun.
    4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
    5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours – so if you come into contact with any metal surface – wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.
    6. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.
    7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
    8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.
    9. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.
    10. Can’t emphasis enough – drink plenty of water!

    THE SYMPTOMS
    1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days
    2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.
    3. With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.
    4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you’re drowning. It’s imperative you then seek immediate attention.

    Serious excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 cases: Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat are moist, never dry. Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least. Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus. If you don’t drink enough water more regularly, the virus can enter your windpipe and into the lungs. That’s very dangerous. Please send and share this with family and friends. Take care everyone and may the world recover from this Coronavirus soon.

    The new Coronavirus may not show sign of infection for many days. How can one know if he/she is infected? By the time they have fever and/or cough and go to the hospital, the lung is usually 50% Fibrosis and it’s too late (Fibrosis is not reversible). Taiwan experts provide a simple self-check that we can do every morning. Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness, etc., it proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicates no infection. In critical times, please self-check every morning in an environment with clean air.

    1. Thank you, Tunnel Rabbit! All your hard work alongside that of our SurvivalBlog editors to keep us as fully informed as possible is greatly appreciated!

    2. Tunnel Rabbit,

      In the second paragraph, “Inactivation of coronaviruses by biocidal agents in suspension tests,” the information that follows is way, way above my paygrade. Can you help make that information a little more understandable for many of us?

      You da man!

      1. Three types of alcohol were tested and at these percentages, readily inactivated the virus:

        ETHANOL (78–95%),
        ISOPROPYL (= 2-propanol (70–100%),
        and a combination of the two: of 45% 2-propanol with 30% 1-propanol, + glutardialdehyde (0.5–2.5%),

        Formaldehyde (0.7–1%) inactivated the virus.

        Povidone iodine (0.23–7.5%) inactivated the virus.

        Sodium hypochlorite = bleach, has to be at least 0.21% to be effective.

        Hydrogen peroxide was effective with a concentration of 0.5% and a contact time of 1 min.

        Benzalkonium chloride = BAC-D which is a body wash and animal wound treatment. Data was conflicting as to whether this worked or not. Within 10 min a concentration of 0.2% revealed no efficacy against coronavirus whereas a concentration of 0.05% was quite effective.

        Chlorhexidine digluconate is the active ingredient is some mouthwashes and at 0.02% was basically ineffective

      2. Hi Suvivormann99,

        St. Funogas nails it.

        The chemicals listed will generally kill the virus in about a minute. It is safe to say that in cold temperatures, chemical reaction require much more time to occur, often 3 or 4 times the duration in cold approaching 40F, and in freezing (below 32F) temperatures than at 60 to 80 F.

        If I can find the source again, I’ll post it. I have committed this information to memory as guidelines for myself, because these are common and inexpensive disinfectants. Lower concentrations of these chemicals will kill virus given extended times. For example, a 10% solution of bleach will kill the virus after 10 minutes of contact. And a less than 60% to as low as a 50% solution of alcohol will kill the virus after 10 minutes.

        Using a 10% bleach solution is practical were it can be used to reduce consumption of available bleach when disinfecting large areas. Use the higher concentrations mention for the quick killing of virus:

        21% bleach 30 seconds in warm weather. In freezing temperatures I’ll error on the side safe and give it 5 minutes.

        Common 70 to 91% Isopropyl requires only 30 seconds. In freezing temperatures, I would let it stand for 5 minutes.

        Regular soap of any kind that dissolves fats and oil, will also kill the viruses just as well, and quicker if the warm water is used.

        Knowing that using these reagents (soap, bleach, alcohol) cause the lip structure of the virus wall to dissolve, and no longer function, then we can deduce that any other chemical that dissolves lipids (fatty acids), actually the phospholids that make cellular walls, will also kill the virus. For example, in a pinch, gasoline could be used as an emergency measure. Although untested, it is better than nothing. I’d give it lots of time to make sure.

    3. Being aware that the info from me that TR quotes is from this source:
      From a member of the Stanford hospital board, I have an update from another member of the blog I first quoted from:
      Specific misinformation –
      80F temperature does not kill this virus or it would not last in your body, which is at 37 C (98.6 F). MERS coronavirus spread just fine in Saudi when it was 110F out.
      Drinking water regularly is unlikely to help wash virus down to an acid death. Viruses stick to receptors on cells (ACE2 in this case). On a wonkish further note, the stomach is not acidified between meals.
      This Coronavirus (officially named SARS2-CoV) causes a dry cough only a little more often than it causes a wet (productive/sputumy) cough. See Table 1 of this excellent review of 1000 patients: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032?query=TOC
      There is more wrong with your post but you get the gist.
      What is almost correct about your post is that a runny nose is rare with this coronavirus.

      This paper on 72,314 Chinese patients is the most comprehensive review I’ve seen http://weekly.chinacdc.cn/en/article/id/e53946e2-c6c4-41e9-9a9b-fea8db1a8f51

      Of course, as many of our fellow commenters have noted, “your mileage may vary”. We must each choose what advice we will apply. Another variable is this mix is the word “novel” preceding coronavirus. That means none of us has antibodies to attack the virus. Yikes.

      Carry on

      1. Keeping our heads on a swivel helps us find new gold nuggets of information that keeps us working on new intelligence, that defines our next move forward, instead of regurgitating what comes out of the internet echo chamber. We need all the help we can get given the disinformation, and intentional information vacuum out there. Hopefully it will travel far and wide.

    4. From, Tunnel Rabbits comment, … “Serious excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 cases: Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat are moist, never dry. Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least.
      …….. Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus. If you don’t drink enough water more regularly, the virus can enter your windpipe and into the lungs.”

      Excellent advice. People ‘out and about’ should carry a water bottle to sip regularly at recommended intervals. No need to buy water by the case; a Water Filtration System (Survivalblog advertises them) would provide safe tap water.
      ***********
      +This excellent advice is in a SurvivalBlog article: … “A full metal water bottle with a paracord lanyard or large carabiner attached also makes a pretty effective swinging club in an emergency.”
      ……… [Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 2, by J.M. SurvivalBlog FEBRUARY 21, 2018]

    5. Tunnel – Thank you for this information. Where did you get “THE SYMPTOMS
      1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days
      2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further,” part?

  2. I am realizing how much I hate this whole pandemic thing. I really really hate it! As a prep oriented individual, I’ve of course considered many different events which might cause one to have to rely on their preps. Other than blizzards, ice storms etc. I’ve never had to actually do this before. I’ve read tons of books on the subject, both fiction and non-fiction. Although a few of the fiction books feature pandemics, most seem to be fixated on EMP’s or asteroid strikes. Well here we are; a genuine pandemic. And I hate it!

    Why do I hate it? I think it’s the whole need for social distancing and staying apart from others that is becoming so apparent. To have to avoid gatherings, musical shows, playing music with others, get-togethers with friends and neighbors; it’s just painful. For me so far that’s the worst part of it. Eyeballing those around me when I venture out to pick up stuff at stores or at the post office. Not knowing how to respond when people stick their hand out to shake; I still do it but know I shouldn’t. I then go and put hand sanitizer on. Trying to go to the store only when it’s early in the morning and not crowded. Having to try to avoid the food coop where it’s always a crowded scene and you can just stand there and chat with person after person as that’s where everyone I know pretty much goes for one thing or another. Definitely not hanging out in the cafe having a cup of coffee and using my laptop! Avoiding services at my synagogue which is trying hard to implement social distancing, no hugs, don’t touch any food with your bare hands and share it etc.

    So I think I’m feeling some real grief over this. Feels really weird to be wishing that we were “just” experiencing an economic depression, massive civil unrest or even an EMP! Wondering when(if ever) our lives will return to “normal”; will that only be if we all get the virus? But if that doesn’t confer immunity and in fact those who contract it again get even sicker, that won’t work either.

    And as in a clearly visible event(power failure etc) most if not all people would soon be on board with recognizing the problem, many people are still in denial and trying to engage in business as usual. So there’s this big disconnect between those who “get it” and those who don’t right now. I think the psychological impacts of this are going to be right up there with the health and economic ones. I’m already grieving.

    1. From your post: “So there’s this big disconnect between those who “get it” and those who don’t right now.”

      So true! We’ve experienced the very strange sensation that comes with being in a place like the grocery store surrounded by some who are gearing up, and others who could but aren’t taking any precautions or simply won’t. If it were all simply speculative, we might chalk it all up to difference of opinion. …but this is much more like denial. The potential threat of SARS-COV-2 (and COVID-19) is serious and very real.

      From your post: “I’m already grieving.”

      We understand, and we’re grieving too. Our sadness doesn’t keep us from continuing to move forward to deepen our preparedness, but it is with us — and we see it in others too. You’re not alone in your thoughts and feelings. Most assuredly many in the community of Survival Blog readers (and preppers in the broadest sense) share in this sadness.

      1. Hey T of A, your comments are so true! Almost nobody in my little burg is taking this seriously. I made a last trip into town to see if I could arm wrestle my pharmacist out of the 90-day supply of meds I bought but that he thought he couldn’t give me yet cuz I already have a 90-day supply on hand. He finally relented. There were two boxes of zinc lozenges on the pharmacy shelf ($7.49, grabbed those) and hand sanitizer in grocery store, sure signs nobody is thinking about the coronavirus. Zinc lozenges are going for up to $99 a box on Amazon. It’s entertaining just to read the comments and see the pricing. (Link below.)

        It’s nice to be ahead of the crowds but frustrating to watch them panic, especially in government. On the bright side, there are a heckuva lot more electrons in my 401k than there were three weeks ago. 🙂 With Trump’s ban on flights from Europe for 30 days, airline stocks are all in the composting toilet today, on top of the already crashing markets, so they should be a great buy in the very near future for anyone not in panic mode.

        Zinc lozenge pricing:
        https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0854TPCH6?tag=duckduckgo-ffnt-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1

      2. I understand the sadness you are feeling my friends. It is something that will pass and be replaced with resolute awareness of life and what is most valuable. Hang in there. You have got friends around the country. Many you’ll never meet in person, and others like myself who have a kindred spirit in words to share and hope for tomorrow.

    2. Thank you for sharing Ani! I’m one of those people who loves social distancing and can go long periods of time without socializing in person at all. But, I have many family members, including adult children with children, who will have a very difficult time. It’s been instructive to watch my various children’s attitudes and actions. I try to be supportive for each, no fear mongering, give advice when asked, etc. I realize we are all in this together and we are all different. I know this will be particularly difficult for my go-go 85 year old mother. She is a social butterfly and has more energy than I do. I can’t demand her to self-isolate. She will do what she will do. Fortunately, she has good friends who “get it”. I was actually glad that travel to Europe is suspended for 30 days. I thought she might plan some travel, and one of my biggest fears is she could get sick far away from us, and no way to reach her. I think we all have various fears, frustration, and anger. I pray a lot. Hugs to you Ani. We are in this together.

  4. That is a great article! Here are some links that I found useful.
    Link to “Can You Reuse N95 Face Masks During Pandemic Emergencies?? By Dr. Joe Alton”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3N2IOFteBA
    Link to Beijing International Medical Center (IMC)
    https://www.imcclinics.com/english/index.php/news/view?id=83
    Dr. John Campbell
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5yVGmfivAk&t=53s
    CleanWave Portable Sanitizing Wand
    https://verilux.com/products/portable-sanitizing-wand
    C-Pap Easy Clean
    http://www.c-papeasyclean.com/home.html

    1. We purchased a UV light wand, and have been sharing the news of this tool with as many others as possible. This is a good strategy alongside all other efforts. We see that many have sold out, but hopefully new supply lines will be available soon.

      Remain steady. Be safe. Stay well everyone.

  5. Nice article A.J.S.

    If you think of China’s epidemic as a bell curve, it took them about 90 days to be on the far right of the curve. Hopefully that means we’ll be at the far end of this by the Fourth of July at the latest.

    In all probability it’s going to be a seasonal flu each year so how that will affect us long-term remains to be seen.

    1. what if the bell curve is a illusion ?, what if the virus is mutating ? what if a person once infected, isolated, treated, then is fine, then re acquires the virus and becomes sick a second time ? what happens to Society ? , I will say, Western society will collapse, people where I am, most are oblivious, we watched people shopping yesterday in the supermarket, children, fathers, mothers all in la la land, incredible to watch, made me sad at first, then plain really angry, I do not feel sorry for them anymore, my wife and I have prepared, when these people many family, mocked us, laughed at us, jeered and made loco motions with their hands come to see us, our door will be locked. Sadly my two children mocked us. They are on their own now.

  6. Thank you, A.J.S. Your article is an excellent contribution. We must all remember that there are some people, and there may be many people, who are just now coming into awareness about the importance of preparedness. Even though we’re well into the current crisis, there is still quite a lot people can do to shore themselves up.

  8. I believe the reported death rate is artificially high which is one of the reasons for the panic. If CDC says 100 people were infected and 3 of them died, that gives a 3% death rate. What the CDC can’t say is there were only 100 people infected…they are not seeing the total infected population. There could be thousands infected and not reported with only 3 deaths.

    1. Agree completely, we need to make sure people are aware and not panicking. I fear (pun intended) we have as big a problem with global pantophobia as any disease.

  9. An N95 mask is 95% efficient. That is it filters out 95% of the air and not 5%. So do we just hope that the 5% that gets through is pure?
    Also an N95 mask filters out particles larger than .3 microns. But a virus can be as small as .003 microns. So does that 95% of the mask that works filtering out viruses?

        2. Hello Anonymous,

          More clarification on your question many have. Mask and googles are decent protection against spittle, or virus carried by water droplets. It greatly reduces the odds of being infected. In my book, where one should use great caution given their age and health, it is meaningful protection when forced to interact with others outside of a 6 foot distance, when not inside a building or confined space that is frequented by many possible carriers. However, because it is also airborne, and will be in much higher concentration in buildings open to the public that is often reseeded with new virus and accumulates and become concentrated when traffic is high, this airborne version of the virus that floats continuously in the air and is stirred, an N95 mask is inadequate in that environment. Not only because the mask may not fit the face well and leak at the edges of the mask, but also because it may not filter airborne virus that is not attached to a water droplet. And if the google are not sealed at the face, airborne virus may casually enter via the mucus membranes.

          Even in the Alt- media, some are down grading their assessment of the potential threat. Unfortunately they do not have the latest information, or lack information. The problem is that exponential growth of this highly contagious virus, hospitals will quickly be overwhelmed in about two months with real and suspected cases. Once hospitals are overwhelmed, even given a relatively low estimated death rate, the CFR will increase by several orders of magnitude because the ICU level care required to recover would be unavailable. There is also a problem with estimated death rates. There many, and will be many more strains of the virus. Some will be less lethal, and other more deadly. And there are other unknowns, if one believe it is man made. I do. And If we consider a broader set of consequences, those with other life threatening health conditions will not get the life saving service we enjoy to day.

          I would go to extremes to avoid this virus until it proves to be a pussy cat, and not a tiger. Simply going an empty post office is a dangerous place where the virus will lurk. It takes practice to use our protective measures, and it is easy to make a mistake. Educating our family and friends is necessary. Prevention is the best medicine. That is why I have been self isolated for weeks now. The greatest mistake is underestimating the danger, if not to oneself, but others. Quarantine is the only way to stop this thing. It is coming by force if necessary. I’d rather be healthy, than sick during this time. The various stains of this virus may mutate into a pussy cat. If not, it will kill the host population in a region where that virulent strain is, and then stop to be a threat.

          1. @ Tunnel Rabbit

            A top Chinese official points the fingers at the US Military, there was over 100 Military people in games in Wuhan, I didn’t know about that. I think few do, he said ” the Virus came from China, but the origin is not Chinese ” , I suggest that is not a play on words, the Chicoms are no Angels, but at the same time, they do not and cannot afford to shut down their economy, that is against their survival and stated aims, so could a black op be put in motion to frame the Chinese ?, quite certainly, there are hidden and not so hidden malicious dark forces in COAG circles in Washington.

            9/11 was con job , why not this ?, Western Govts generally will deny this wild conspiracy theory as that. I too think this Virus is mad made, too many odd features it has to be not so.

            Chinese diplomat posts wild conspiracy theory about coronavirus
            https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-chinese-diplomat-posts-wild-conspiracy-theory-about-covid19/8e9d3342-b2ff-4664-8402-aa3520c970c8

    2. The virus will often be attached to a water droplet that is large enough for the mask to filter. The other big problem is fitment of the mask to face so it does not leak. Also protect the eyes with tight fitting googles.

  10. Things that make you go hmmm….

    1. If 80 degrees kills the virus, and summer will slow it down, why does Australia have a problem right now?

    2. Since China has consistently lied about their situation, we should now trust their numbers….really?

    3. What are we not being told? Since for SARS, MERS, Ebola, legionnaire’s disease, swine flu, avian flu, etc. there was no impetus for a VP headed TF and 8.3 billion dollar aid package, not to mention everything else that is being put into play.

    4. It is normal flu season, albeit a bit higher than normal, so ICUs and hospitals are already at anywhere from 50-70% capacity – you can’t use available bed and treatment numbers that don’t factor that in.

    Just some things that make me go hmmm…..

  11. I understand the sadness you are feeling my friends. It is something that will pass and be replaced with resolute awareness of life and what is most valuable. Hang in there. You have got friends around the country. Many you’ll never meet in person, and others like myself who have a kindred spirit in words to share and hope for tomorrow.

  12. Dear Readers,

    Just a reminder, as editors of SurvivalBlog, we reserve the right to delete any comments at any time for any reason. We expect our commenters to uphold high respect for one another, to present true and factual information that all can benefit from. We will not tolerate unkind, divisive or antagonistic comments towards other readers (some of which we are suspecting of being trolls) . We will also delete responses even if done in kindness and with intelligent information, if we’ve decided to delete the original antagonistic comment. Thank you for understanding.

    Lily

    2. I am grateful and very appreciative of all of the Rawles’ family efforts. Sometimes my brain isn’t working and I might type away carelessly, but I try not to make that mistake. I remember when Survivalblog did not allow any commenting. It’s a huge job to monitor and manage. Bottom line: this is your website and you have the right to blast anyone away (no pun intended) any time.

      1. Hi SaraSue,

        Thank you for your comment. I laughed at the “Blasting them away”!

        Honestly, I feel incredibly frustrated when I read antagonistic comments or comments that attack other readers, cause division, or detract from the flow of honest, clean informative conversation and the topic at hand. I don’t even want to read it as a moderator, much less you guys, too.

        Sometimes they do slip through the cracks. Sometimes there is automatic posting and then other times it takes the moderator to post them. There doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or a reason for it, this either.

        I feel guilty, too, when we delete a comment and then the commentator writes another comment saying, “Hey, why did you delete me, we are long time readers and supporters, you are not allowing fair discourse and exchange of ideas/free speech”.

        I am finding that usually, these people only have that one or two comments and no history of other comments under their pen name and IP address, so I am getting wiser to them. They are trolls.

        Jim says I need to develop thicker skin and to just blast them away!!! 🙂

        It’s another level of discernment that I am developing. 🙂

        Thank you SaraSue for all of your very wise, helpful and informative comments in this Blog. We appreciate you, very much.

        Blessings,

        Lily

  13. Gardening season is right the corner. I already have all my seeds. I have winter sown seeds. Now I planting items that that take 120+ days to mature. We are in Montana, short growing season. Also working on my garden journal, garden layout, and setting up some cattle panel greenhouses. This keeps my mind engaged and hands busy. I also do a lot of research on line. This is something folks can focus on if they find themselves quarantined.

    1. I’m reading through the Gulag Archipelago, 3 volumes, each 700 pages. Not exactly uplifting, but it keeps my mind busy. I set aside only one hour a day for that. We will be planting onion sets in the greenhouse in the next two days, replanted a lot of starts that just plain didn’t get off the ground – we started too early. And I’ve been sewing, sewing, sewing. Yes, isolating can be a time to do projects, as long as one is feeling well enough. Last thing we all want to do is be glued to the media. I check the coronavirus.gov site briefly, and then go about my day.

  14. @Ken

    “Things that make you go hmmm…”

    If you google…”The disease expert who warned us”.. you’ll find an interview with Michael T. Osterholm that will answer the questions you raised.

    He is the Director of CIDRAP (Center for Disease Research and Policy) at the University of Minnesota (cidrap.umn.edu). Used to be chief epidemiologist for the state of Minnesota. On the ground in the Middle East investigating MERS and SARS. On the front page you’ll see COVID-19 Resource Center which updates daily with latest news. I’ve read his books and he really knows his stuff.

    He stresses more than anything the danger of considering this nothing more than a bad flu season. 4 to 5 minute read. Informative and scary but calming because good information helps us with Plan A, B and C.

    1. I’ll second the comments about Mr. Osterholm.
      He was just interviewed by Joe Rogan a couple days ago. Really good podcast.
      He also spoke about hospital beds, respirators, myths, rumors, etc.

  15. We all must certainly, this soon into a problem, have plenty of chores we need to do. We are updating our inventory of the things we have. Organize your food meals. Order what you need to fill in gaps. Making a short list when we learn we needed something we dont have.

    This website is a tremendous resource for all of us.

    Get going and you will feel much better. Re-read Patriots book for the fourth time and realize what JWR was trying to inform us about.

    This is still very early. We are conserving energy, and focused on doing a number of items.

    Read three seconds until midnight by steven hatfil.

    We have a great online community here !!! Lots of wonderful recipes, planning tips. Endless suppy of ideas for us to consider.

  16. If I have to face a TEOTWAWKI-scale disaster in my lifetime, I’d rather face COVID-19 than something that kills billions and sends us back to the era before the industrial revolution when we cooked food on open fires, plowed our fields with a pair of oxen, and made our own clothes.

    Let’s remember that it’s not a nuclear war, an EMP attack, the Yellowstone caldera bursting, a massive solar flare, a dinosaur-killing asteroid strike, or any other truly TEOTWAWKI-scale disasters for which most of us preppers have been preparing.

    One thing that separates this from other potential global-scale disasters is that utilities will likely stay on. Electricity, clean water, and natural gas flowing through cables and pipes will help us stay warm, civilized, and sane while we are quarantined. Cell phone towners will be up and Internet service is unlikely to be interrupted, so we can communicate, get news and updates, be entertained, and socialize with others remotely. The Coronavirus should not choke the road with refugees or send the golden hordes from the city to overrun their rural neighbors. People should be able to shelter in place – and their place won’t have been washed away in a flood, burned in a wild fire, or collapsed in an earthquake.

    That doesn’t mean it’s not going to suck. I don’t want you to think I am minimizing this. The Coronavirus is a shock to the system and it’s going to disrupt our lives. There maybe food riots. Pharmacies and hospitals may be over run. It’s going to be ugly, and I expect everyone will know someone who dies from it. But take some comfort in knowing that it could be worse, and when it is over, we should recover relatively quickly becuase the infrastructure to support our way of life will still be in place.

    2. I know that you’re right but I think I’m just reacting to the fact that as social creatures we still need to isolate ourselves. When a situation is tough we ordinarily can gain so much by supporting each other and so needing to chose to avoid others just feels so wrong. Yeah, I know. Probably not extinction level event and the lights will probably stay on so stop sniveling. We don’t get to pick our disasters……..

      1. Hi Ani,

        First, I hope you know that my comments were not directed at you (or at any individual in particular), just a chance to remind everyone that this is manageable.

        Second, I totally agree that quarantine will be difficult for many people, especially those that are extroverted and more social than I. My wife falls into that category while I am more introverted and could happily go several days without speaking to anyone except the cat.

        We started social distancing last week and she has been scheduling phone calls with friends and relatives from all over the country, using this as an excuse to talk. It gives her a chance to be social, and when I hear her laugh from the other end of the house, I know its working.

        Our church sent out an email today stating that the Bishop had ordered a complete and total shut down for all church services and meetings across the diocese. The only thing that will still go on is the food pantry, which I hope they will be able to do at a distance, and residential programs.

        I think we may all come to remember March 12, 2020, as the day the Coronavirus finally hit home for most of America. I expect more panic this weekend.

  17. Hi everyone,
    Just wanted to relate to you all the experience my husband and I just had this morning.
    My husband had to travel back and forth (on multiple airplanes, out of O’Hare, Chicago) to Ohio the last 3 weeks . He had to stay in multiple hotels as well. I loaded him up with Vitamin C, Elderberry, Zinc, sanitizer ect.
    This week he started not feeling great. This morning he was on his way to work and called his boss telling him he didn’t feel well. Boss said go home, rest, get into Dr. & let us know how your doing.

    I took him to primary care Office about 30 minutes from home (For him to actually agree to go means he is REALLY NOT FEELING WELL)

    This is where our Dr. is. I kept husband in car while I went inside to get instructions on what they wanted us to do and we didn’t want to expose anyone else.
    First, when I walked in EVERYONE had face masks and gloves on.
    Second, I explained that he had been flying back and forth to Ohio on airplanes. They gave me a phone number to call right away and had me exit the building. Fine, I totally get it.
    I called the number and explained everything to the nurse and set up an appointment for a half hour later. She asked for us to put on masks right away when we came back. I said no problem, I have these items in the car already.
    So we waited in parking lot and then went in for our appointment.
    The lobby was empty thankfully and we were seen to a room.
    Then a nurse came in and took information and asked a series of questions. When we told her husband has been on several airplanes she got kinda panicked and excused herself (She herself had NO MASK OR GLOVES ON)!! She then came back in and asked us if we wanted to be tested for Covid-19, we said yes. She then left the room again but returned quickly and told us that they have no testing kits, no way to test and that the Entire Edward Elmhurst system has no way to test anyone and have NOT been given any direction for this at all. She also told us that effective yesterday, they were given directions to NO LONGER test anyone for the regular seasonal flu!!!
    They did do a swab for strep, that was negative and an EKG (My husband is 52 and has a history of heart problems, heart attack. (Thanksgiving Day, 2018 he had an emergency stint put in).
    Normally I would NEVER give out any personal information about ourselves or location but I wanted to warn anyone that might be in northwest Illinois as we are that this is what we were told today.
    I’m appalled that they are not testing (well not really as many of us readers here have suspected all along nefarious numbers, information) but we are in the age group where things going wrong go up higher.
    I just wanted you to know what happened to us so that if you haven’t ramped up your awareness factor by now you might be in for a big surprise.
    The amount of stumbling and stuttering this medical office exhibited clearly tells me that we’re in for quite a ride!! Buckle up, it’s kooky out there!!

    1. Thank you RKRGRL68 for this information.

      Tell your husband to take very high dose of Vitamin C –perhaps 5,000-10,000 mg/day. Take some zinc and drink a lot of water, of course get lots of rest. He also need to take vitamin D3, but beware of over-dosing, since it is fat soluble. RKRGRL68, I suggest you also start taking C, Zinc and D3. Make sure you clean and disinfect everything. My mom (in her early 70s) traveled to Florida in February for a funeral. Currently she has a terrible cough, but no fever. I am praying and hoping she just has a bad cold.

      We are praying for both of yours’ health.

      Blessings,

      Lily

    2. OMG. So what did they suggest that your husband do? I guess if they don’t test them out official numbers stay low. This isn’t good at all. I hope he has a speedy recovery.

      1. I’m not so sure that at this time the virus is causing a cytokine storm. That may well change as it mutates so we will have to stay aware. Thus far the majority of the serious cases and deaths appear to be in older people and/or those with pre-existing conditions and cytokine response issues are not generally a problem in this group. So to me it seems that at this point in time doing things to strengthen your immune system is helpful. For me that would include elderberry. I’m not a medical professional but that’s my take on what I’m hearing so far. Again, the virus can mutate and the situation could change.

    4. RKRGRL68, we too are praying for you and your family.

      I called our primary care physician today (needed to get a refill on one of my scripts). Asked her about the possibility of getting an additional script for our meds (especially for my better half as he is in the same situation as yours but much older). I told her I was worried about drug and/ingredient shortages. She told me she couldn’t do it. Said that she was bound by regulations. (this did not surprise me).

      HOWEVER – her next statements blew my mind – “Besides, if everyone ran to the pharmacy’s and refilled their meds then we really would have a drug shortage. Don’t worry, if you need your meds, we will get them for you.” seriously?! I asked her how she was going to supply our meds if the pharmacies didn’t have them or even worse if the manufacturers couldn’t get the main ingredients for making them? Crickets…. she had no answer.

      While I am still concerned about this virus, my concern has now somewhat shifted from actually getting it to the ramifications of it: supply chains, economy, etc.

      1. Just a thought Lisa. Go to an urgent care and explain all you want is your normal prescription. Bring bottles with you. If you can get a script, go to any pharmacy and pay cash if they are that necessary. I personally had to do this a couple of years ago when I was without insurance for a short period of time. I was surprised at how easily the pharmacy filled the prescription and “cash customers” got a big discount. This won’t work, however, for controlled substances.

        1. Thank you SaraSue, they are all “maintenance scripts”. HPB etc. That is something I will try.

          I remember about 10/12 years ago, there was a very bad hurricane (didn’t effect the US) however, one of my husbands meds became unavailable because the manufacturer was only located on that island. Relatively small place, can’t even remember the name. I was stunned. He was put on a substitute for about 4 months before the drug became available again.

          We really need to bring front line supply manufacturing back to the US.

          1. From your post: “We really need to bring front line supply manufacturing back to the US.”

            You are absolutely right, and this is a national security issue. The United States can bring a whole lot of manufacturing back into the country, and otherwise decentralize and diversify among other international suppliers.

            From your post: “I remember about 10/12 years ago, there was a very bad hurricane (didn’t effect the US) however, one of my husbands meds became unavailable because the manufacturer was only located on that island.”

            Our younger adult child who is treated for epilepsy suffered a delay in getting his emergency medication following Hurricane Maria. It took what seemed like forever to get that manufacturing site back online. Even hospitals could not get this medication — also used often in emergency rooms. We could not secure the Rx for more than a year, and what was most curious about it was that no one seemed to know what the problem was — and why the medication was unavailable — not the neurologist, not the primary care provider, not the pharmacist, no one. We pursued the question across this time, and ultimately it was a pharmacist who had a little bit of slow time, listened to our story and question, and made some calls. It was this pharmacist who uncovered the news of what was really happening behind the scenes, and causing the shortage of this particular medication.

          2. Lisa in TX, I agree with Sara Sue’s advice. If you say you want to pay cash it will be much easier (typically). Download the GoodRx app on your phone for some amazing cost savings.

            Rckrgrl68… thank you for sharing your information and please know so many of us are praying for total health for your husband and you.

            An idea for anyone who works for a mid size or large corporation: check to see if your employer offers Teledoc. If so, sign up now and use that resource!

            This afternoon I felt it impressed on my heart that this hectic and stressful current time frame is going to be brief, and will be followed by a period of quiet. Perhaps a lengthy period of quiet. During that quiet I will need to utilize that free time to get better organized and focus on getting stronger and healthier physically (though I have no true debilitating ailments of any sort right now, thank God.) I think there are more challenges in store later this year…

    5. Hello RKRGRL68 — Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us. We are so concerned for you, your husband, and your family. You are in our prayers. Your story will hopefully also help people understand what’s happening “in real time” and “on the ground” — and it is NOT the story people are hearing in the mainstream media.

  18. This current virus is many times more infective than “swine flu” This WILL cause some hospitals to be overwhelmed. That is a scary thing for people – and it will hurt many families

    The R0 (transmissiblity) for novel influenza A (H1N1) (Swine Flu) has been estimated to be between 1.4 and 1.6.
    Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19545404

    The lethality is also many many times more: H1N1 (swine flu) only had a mortality rate of: 0.01-0.08%

    There is MUCH more reason to be concerned with this novel coronavirus.
    MUCH more contagious and much more lethal.

    I’ve been a member of this community for about a decade. I encourage our community to take this seriously. If not for the virus itself, then for the economic and massive emotional stress toll it will take.

  19. Ani…you are SO busy right now you must be exhausted and overwhelmed. Praying for you especially as we have been excited for your new home developments.

    You bring up an excellent point though. None of us have been here before, except in our imagination and that is not quite the same. Your post made me feel NOT alone in our mourning what was. The new normal is coming with this pandemic that HAD been approaching like a slow motion avalanche. (Sorry Lily…) It has picked up speed and will accelerate exponentially in the coming days. Hence, the PTB trying to slow down it’s approach so as to not overwhelm the medical community.

    I don’t know how to post links but found a YouTube posted 03/10 I believe by Joe Rogan, with an infectious disease expert, Michael Osterhholm about “How Serious is the Coronavirus?”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3URhJx0NSw

    EXCELLENT in every way!!! (My apologies if it has been linked before and I missed it. Could someone with GOOD tech skills please post the link? (Done, see above, Lily 😉 ) This video is about 15minutes in length about Covid-19 but also, there’s an hour and a half video that continues discussion into other diseases, CWD in the North American deer population being one. This is not this ID expert’s first rodeo and he does start with this info. After a fluttering in my gut and working towards finding an information solid bedrock for my plan, so to speak, I am much calmer and things make sense to me. My direction is clear, though it is not complete or perfect. But God has assured me He is with us, now and always!

    One thing Michael Osterholm brings up is a contact in Northern Italy communicating the horrific overload the medical community is dealing with. (I believe she contacted his team Monday?) It’s so bad, the doctors are having to choose who to treat with the ventilators/meds and so are deciding who will live and who will die.

    That is why I believe a quarantine will be put in place…at least in higher population areas, to give our medical community a fighting chance since it will not be stopped.

    Again…GREAT article, GREAT information here at SB, Kudos to TR and the usual cast of well loved characters trying to bring us the BEST information ahead of the avalanche.

    P.S. instead of the usual “happy birthday” or “alphabet” song, am trying to finish my memorization of Psalms 91 for my hand washing timer, or at least an appropriate portion. (The Lord’s Prayer twice through works well also.)

    1. Yes Joyce. I do think that although many of us have imagined these events all the while we prepped our pantry and assembled our BOB’s, the reality is sort of hitting that this is real. And yes, I know it’s not the Yellowstone caldera or a nuclear war but really, I was fine with never having to use my preps other than rotating them through everyday use and sure hope to never actually need my BOB. So suffering a bit from reality sinking in plus, as you noted, I’m rather behind due to being in the middle of setting up the new home. Trying to find some firewood to buy in March in northern VT that will actually burn and throw off heat has been enough of an undertaking. But the woodstove is in, I’ve got a cord of wood that has a fair amount of wood dry enough to burn and the house is now warm!

  20. Oh Lily, you are always so sweet to think of all of us here. You have no idea how much I appreciate your kindness and prayers. I was extremely hesitant to post my story because it broke all of the rules of OPSEC but I really wanted everyone here to to know about it. ( I NEVER expected that we would be denied a test after being offered one.) I have a feeling people are going to get rather salty when they are told that they can’t just get swabbed on demand!! I’m bitter about this but don’t have the time to dwell on it as I will put my energies to better use through taking care of my husband, my parents, myself, and my community if needed.
    I’ve been dosing on all of the items you mentioned and I finished a course of antibiotics last Friday for a sinus infection that I had. My husband is letting me dose him up !(Boys are so stubborn! this is a huge accomplishment as he thinks some of the items I’ve acquired over the last 7-8 weeks seemed nutty), like 2 oxygenators, or hospital grade disinfectant, or enough half face respirators and cartridges to outfit a small unit, gloves, more masks, Ect, ect. He now sees in what happened today why I did all of this and thanked me profusely for making sure we have everything we need.

    I’m feeling good, I’m not even afraid anymore. I have a calm that has come over me that feels amazing!!

    Husband is on bed rest, MucinexDM Max, LOTS of H2O, and all the suggested supplements . We both have a wicked sense of humor so that helps a lot!! (We took a couple of selfies with our masks on and our horrified looks in our eyes) LOL
    I will be watching him closely for any changes or worsening.

    Ani, I hope that the calm I feel comes over you too. Focus on your new house and the warmth from that new wood stove (Frankly I’m a smidge jealous of the wood stove).

    Also, wanted to let you all know too that I stopped ordering things about a week ago as I had this weird feeling that some of the neighbors and definitely the mailman, UPS, and FEDEX people were on to me and my pile of deliveries over the last six months or so….. Just a feeling and I always follow those vague feelings

    1. I love your sense of humor. I love that you took selfies!! I think I’ve received all my last minute deliveries. Yes, Fedex and UPS are very very busy, and they know who’s purchasing, pretty much I broke a lot of OPSEC rules. I was thankful that the large German Shepherd was very excited every time a truck pulled up the drive. Yes, keeping her inside so we don’t have any issues. I don’t think anyone would want to face whatever it is that barks that loud. LOL. They left a few dog treats for her. You should’ve seen her face when there were no treats on some of the boxes. She stays FIERCE until they leave, then she checks the boxes. On the oxygen concentrators, man would I love one or two of those! I decided to wait and see if the prices come back down later in the year. I’m not having any lung issues, I’m isolated, but I just love to be prepared. I’m not having any apprehensions or anxiety for myself because I’m already really careful, but am for my extended family members. I am trying to make sure I do “normal stuff” every day, stay away from the news, and be calm. Blessings on you!

    2. Hi RKRGRL68,

      Ya know… Moms can be so stubborn, too. I’ve had to beg my mom to take the high levels of C. During some phone calls, I’ve insisted she take 1000, told her we’d take it together, “do with me Mom” as I take two of my chewable 500’s, yummy! She is working her way up to 6,000 mg’s /day.

      She is a person who eats very natural and doesn’t believe in taking many supplements at all, mainly because of all of the extra not so healthy or questionable ingredients in them. But, I know that high doses of C will help her body fight off this infection faster. And if it is Corona, God forbid, it may keep her out of the hospital. I’m too far away to help her…

      She is stubborn in other ways, too. She worked really hard all through the first six days of this sickness (disinfecting the whole house, walking the dog, laundry, meals, etc., and hasn’t rested, until today. Naughty Mom!

      She is now quite congested and sounds awful. I’ve also been trying to get her to breath steam: boil water in a pot with garlic and carefully breathe the steam under a towel tent. She did it once, so far, while on the phone with me. I’ll be checking in with her in a little while.

      I’m glad these circumstances woke up your husband and that he is now grateful for your foresightedness and is now on your page. That is a wonderful feeling to have unity in the preparedness area of life. We are going to be facing so much more in the coming days… I am so glad to hear that you have THAT amazing sense of calm. The Lord God will see you through this time. Just continue to put your trust in Him.

      May your husband recover quickly.

      Blessings,

      Lily

    3. Oh yes, UPS, FedEx and USPS. I’ve bought a bunch of stuff recently and they’ve all been showing up here but as the house clearly has no furniture etc I guess they figure I’m setting up my new house(which is true). And tucked in with all the rest are canning jar lids and dried elderberries!

  21. Lily, I have said special prayers for your mother. As I have posted before, I am my parents caregiver and they are in their 80’s so I am very much aware of that anxiety that you are feeling right now.
    If I recall correctly You’re husband is also caring for an older relative out of state right now? I’m thinking of you because I know how hard it is worrying about a family member when your spouse is not at home to give you the emotional comfort that you need right now.

  22. For anyone interested, this is the website that I got the essential oil recipe from: https://n1oil.com/ . It takes Thieves oil blend to a new level. (Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral). Very powerful blend. Not for kids – a simpler blend would work for kids as long as it is sufficiently diluted and under supervision.

    After making the concoction, with the suggested essential oils purchased on Amazon at very reasonable prices from various vendors, I diluted 50/50 with Almond Oil. I then poured the concoction into 1oz “Boston” bottles (dark brown glass bottles with droppers), stirring the mix to keep it consistent as I went along. The bottles can be purchased in boxes of 25.

    On the above website, they charge $45/oz for the blend. On Young Living website, a diluted Thieves blend sells for about $40 an oz. I think my costs were approximately $1-2/oz. I made about 30 bottles up for my family members. I diluted because I don’t want anyone to burn themselves accidentally, in case they don’t read the instructions I enclosed.

    I personally believe essential oils, distilled from various plants, are powerful. I’m thankful I can purchase them and not have to distill them myself, and my house smells wonderful now!
    Disclaimer: I’m not a witch, a witch doctor, or a medical professional.

  23. Where is the Bottom?

    Today, the DJI lost 10%, or 2,252 points, closing at 2,1200.62.

    The P/E (price/earnings ratio) has become almost an obsolete metric, especially over the last decade, because prices are no longer marked to market. There is no a longer time tested a way to measure the value of a company. We may believe it might return to 2008 levels, or use any justification to gauge the bottom of this fall. Chartists make a good argument, yet fundamentalists (as it pertains to market valuations) are eventually proven to be correct. Neither school of thought are applicable in this environment, as confidence was in the market has been declining while prices remained astronomically high, and without the natural and healthy corrections interspersed with new highs. The usual greed to fear ratio as determined by swings in prices, is grossly out of proportion, and fueled simultaneously by the well justified unknown of a Global economic meltdown. Even as the decline will eventually softened by the PPT, it will be a Bear Market for a long while. It would in all reason, be tough to call this bottom, as it will only be an intermission.
    What might be said with some confidence, is that a depression will take hold sooner, rather than latter.

    1. @TunnelRabbit- We don’t know where the bottom is yet because the losses we have seen so far are due to fears about the future. I don’t believe that the stock market is down due to the effects of the CoronaVirus itself and I believe that more losses due to economic inactivity will be coming soon.
      Are the banksters using the virusses as a cover while they crash the monetary system and do a complete reset ? Are the President and his team doing it for the same reasons ? Are the President’s enemies purposely stopping economic activity (March Madness, baseball Spring training, college sports) at this time to hurt Trump’s re-election chances ? Did the Chinese invent the virusses in a biolab as a weapon and they inadvertently or otherwise got out and out of their control ? Did the C_A do it to harm Iran and/or China ? Is this a plague from God ?
      Even if none of these wild theories are true, the prescription is the same- stay away from crowds, wash your hands, use an abundance of caution, and be careful out there.

  24. SaraSue,
    You made me crack up!
    I too am experimenting with essential oils.
    I just had a funny thought of all of us girls standing around our cauldrons mixing up our oils with our respirators on!!
    Have a good night all!!

  25. No cases in my neck of the woods yet (NS, CAN) but things are…interesting. The whole ‘toilet paper panic’ up here is stupid since we have a company that makes it within 200km of us. The rail disruptions we had last month caused the initial ‘run’ on it, and now everyone’s panicked. When I picked up some staples at the end of last month, I noted low volumes of supply in multiple items at Costco – rice being among them. The brand of rice we get wasn’t even available today. I got almost a month’s worth of food tonight on the way home from work. Plus the 5 gallon jugs to store it in from HD. That stuff went right to the Garage when I got home. I also life-cycled the ‘winter gas’ in cans by the garage and now have 160 liters for the Generator/Car if I need it. I’ve lived through Hurricane Juan, White Juan, Dorian, and more…and have the materiel I wish I’d had stocked in Juan(s) and gear I tested during Dorian. Now I’ve got at least 3 months of food on hand, so while that’s not ‘great’ by many standards, it is far better than I was even 6 months ago.

  26. Had to go to the pharmacy today. Pharmacy techs and pharmacist were obviously overwhelmed between people whose doctors gave them 90 day prescriptions, and those (like me) whose doctors/health care system are SET UP so that generating a new prescription cancels all old ones, so you can’t get more than a 30 day supply. I tried getting a paper prescription, and it cancelled all the existing monthly medications I have. Despite all this chaos and demanding customers, they were so kind and polite. The pharmacist, trying to work things out for me, said “You can get these three days early. Let’s start filling as soon as we can and try to get you at least a little leeway.”

    This is a Walmart pharmacy, and whatever you think of corporations, they are still stocking and selling insulin at the lowest rate in town without a prescription so diabetics won’t have to go without. They’re short on masks so are only wearing gloves and at this location they are very aware of the risk. While I was there they sent a pregnant coworker home and told her they’d “help her out” to get by until things get back to normal.

    Also wanted to mention that I saw several Realtree-clad people hefting cases of canned goods in a last-minute stock up when more relations and friends than expected decided to join them. Although they obviously came in with mask, gloves and a coordinated plan to get in and out quickly (they formed a chain to pass flats of cans to carts), they stopped and helped me and several other elderly or handicapped persons, and offered us some of the stuff they were loading up if there was no more on the shelf. One gentleman asked “Are you the National Guard, son?” The man replied “No, sir, we’re the Home Guard. Folks just like you. This is how it should be.”

    We got this. No matter what happens we have an inner strength that comes from knowing this world is not all there is, but it’s a beautiful experience. We have both the right and the responsibility to make the most of the time we’re given. Thanks to all of you taking a moment to uplift or encourage the rest of us. The smallest things do make a difference. You’re all in my prayers.

  28. while it could be a bit more contagious and a bit harsher on older folks, i still dont see reality matching anything near the hysteria being pushed by political figures and the mass media. In some ways it looks something like the scenarios many have discussed over the years of TPTB deliberately crashing the economy to try to push people into more direct dependence and helplessness? its yet to be seen whether the official response in the states will be sane, but in many parts of europe , italy being of course the vanguard, theyve gone full retard. maybe they have the video-game mentality that you can just restart the economy a month later after hitting the pause button. Trucks are still rolling, but if more and more people are kept from doing their jobs, there will be less and less of anything to be moving. They might lift the quarantines in a months time but one is beginning to anticipate a wave of bankruptcies and unemployment to wash through the economy in general over the summer. I fear that however many people might get sick, lose time, work, money, etc, or even die, from the virus, the economic fallout caused by hysterical overreactions will end up harming more people in a worse way, and that effect will probably unfold slowly over the next 6 months to a year. Meanwhile this virus like all cold viruses will be back next winter, and the following year, until it settles down as just another common cold among the rest…

    everyone, heres hoping for enough people to keep level heads about this whole thing and not get carried away by hysteria. of course one should have a good store of preps and one should already have been making moves towards a more self reliant life away from urban concentrations- that was already a good idea – and one should have always practiced good basic hygeine which would have helped keep transmission down on all sorts of things over the years, as well as now , but lockdown quarantines and draconian ‘measures’ are going to do more harm than good over all.

    and while everyones attention is fixed on this, i wonder whos going to ‘not let the crisis go to waste’ and what dirty business is being transacted during the diversion..

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