The recent coronavirus pandemic caught nearly everyone off-guard.
In fact, only 17% of Americans are prepared for an emergency to occur at the best of times. Throw in the initial global misinformation about the virus and its wildly contagious nature, and it was a recipe for trouble.
Needless to say, by the time the reality of this disaster kicked in, it was already too late. Governments, health services, and individuals everywhere were left scrabbling to play catch up.
There is, however, good news. It isn’t too late to take control. We’ve put together a prepper survival guide to help you turn the tables and stay safe in the current chaos.
Read on to discover everything you need to survive a pandemic.
1. Personal Protective Equipment
The first thing you’ll need to get your hands on is the right PPE.
A face mask and latex gloves are two of the most basic items of PPE to own.
For airborne viruses, like COVID-19, the mask will stop infected individuals from spreading the disease. Disposable latex gloves will protect you when handling anything that might be contaminated.
You could even consider buying goggles to stop pathogens from getting in your eyes.
Remember to purchase antibacterial hand wash and hand sanitizer too. Washing your hands thoroughly will help prevent the spread of any virus that’s going around.
2. A Well-Stocked First Aid Kit
A first-aid kit is fundamental to any disaster preparations.
All sorts of minor accidents can happen when you’re holed up at home. With limited access to doctors and pharmacies, it’s up to you to have basic first aid supplies in advance.
Remember, emergency rooms will be a hotbed for the virus. Handling medical issues at home means you don’t have to expose yourself or your family to these environments.
Everything from band-aids and bandages to antibacterial wipes and sterile gloves is important to have in stock.
3. Essential Medication
Make sure you’ve got adequate supplies of essential medication as well.
If possible, try to stock up on medication in advance because it is often the quickest to fly off the shelves.
Everything from over-the-counter pain medication to cold/flu remedies will help. Think about your kids as well and ensure you’ve got age-appropriate medication in place for them.
4. Food Supplies
People panic-buy when disasters happen.
As you may have seen with COVID-19, they rush off to buy as much food as they can. The supermarkets can’t keep up with demand and the shelves are soon stripped of goods.
Even everyday essentials such as toilet roll will become hard to find.
It’s up to you to be prepared for that eventuality. Stock your home up with as much long life food as possible. Freeze-dried, tinned, and vacuum-packed food will all be important additions to your larder.
If you can grow your own fresh food, then that’s even better. Think about buying some seeds and starting a vegetable patch in your garden.
You’ll be thankful for that fresh produce if you’re ever forced to isolate at home for long periods of time.
5. A Water Filtration System
Of course, you’ll need to stay hydrated as well.
That’s especially true if you’re unwell and trying to recover from the virus.
You’d hope that the water would stay on throughout the pandemic. Just in case, though, having a water filtration system will help you convert any questionable water sources you find into drinkable water.
You could, for example, collect rainwater off the roof and run it through a filter to clean it.
Purchase electrolyte powder that you can mix with your water as well. That would help replenish levels of electrolytes that you might lose through illness.
6. Cleaning Products
Keeping your home clean and sanitary is imperative to stay well.
Virus spores survive on surfaces for long periods of time. If you come into contact with a surface that’s been contaminated, you can easily become infected.
Think about how many things you touch throughout the course of a day. All it takes is one person forgetting to wash their hands.
Having disinfectant sprays and wipes will be essential. Remember, you’ll be spending a lot of time indoors! It needs to be as clean as possible to stay as safe as possible.
7. Warm Blankets
In worst-case scenarios, you might lose access to power.
Staying warm enough may become a challenge if you do lose power. Having a stockpile of warm clothes, duvets and blankets will make sure you don’t get cold.
Another way to manage this is to purchase a log burner for your home. Gas might not be available either, but there’s almost always access to wood. Collecting it for a fire in your burner will help warm your house throughout the day.
8. A Portable Generator
A backup generator is an ideal solution if the power does go out.
With a portable generator in place, you're prepared if the main power does go out. Assuming you have enough fuel, you’d be able to run the generator and power your essential electronics. That means heat, light, and charged mobile phones, among others.
Each is key in a survival situation.
You Need a Prepper Survival Guide
The coronavirus has finally forced global pandemic and it's affecting everyone.
People are dying, businesses have closed, and society at large has ground to a halt. We’ve finally woken up to the dangers involved.
Hopefully, this prepper survival guide will ensure you’re ready for the next one.
For more survival-guide articles, check out this blog post on the best emergency radios.