Bird Flu Preparation
Individual Preparation for a Bird Flu Pandemic
Stockpile enough food and water for at least two weeks. Try to buy items that you use regularly and just keep topping your supply up. Stockpile items that do not require refrigeration or electricity for preparation, and will keep for a reasonably long time, such as canned and dried foods.
ATMs probably won't function and banks may be closed, so keep a quantity of cash on hand. It might be a good idea to keep a small quantity handy and hide the rest.
Make sure that you have plenty of fuel to keep you warm in winter.
As with any emergency, have batteries and a battery-powered radio on hand, and some way of providing light at night. A small solar-powered lighting system would be ideal.
Prepare to take care of sick people at home. Acquire a stockpile of medicines that are used regularly. Assemble a bird flu survival kit and some natural flu remedies, in case antiviral drugs and vaccines aren't immediately available. Be sure that you know good bird flu infection control procedures.
The above is only a very basic list of bird flu preparations, but you can find out more about boosting your immune system, vaccines and antiviral agents, and how to prepare for a bird flu pandemic, from the books found at the link below.
Are governments doing enough bird flu preparation?
Governments can only do a certain amount of preparation for a pandemic. In fact, in the United States, the Federal Government has told the states that if a bird flu pandemic occurs, they pretty much have to handle it themselves.
As a result, state and local governments, as well as businesses and schools, are currently doing their own bird flu preparation. Employers have been advised to employ a few staff as possible. Sporting events will be cancelled and schools will be shut down.
In the event that many people fall ill, services such as electricity, water, garbage removal, and deliveries to supermarkets and stores will be disrupted. Hospitals and clinics will be overcrowded, with few staff to deal with the crisis.
So it is important for each of us to do our own bird flu preparation, since we won't be able to rely on outside help.
