Prepare for the Bird Flu Pandemic: Four Items You Should Buy

Until recently, like many people, I didn't really believe that bird flu was much of a threat to global health. After all, we're in the 21^st century now and medical science has come a long way since the last "killer" flu pandemic of 1918...right? Well, those assumptions were seriously called into question by a book I recently read called Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching by Dr. Michael Greger. In the book, which is available to read for free online at http://BirdFluBook.com, Dr. Greger makes the case that we're really not in a much better place, medically speaking, than in 1918. He also asserts that it is not a matter of if the world will see another flu pandemic, but when. This sentiment has been echoed by public health authorities worldwide including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States and the international World Health Organization (WHO).

When you really start to understand the potential implications of a flu pandemic, it can be downright terrifying. It is easy to be confused about how to prepare for a potential bird flu outbreak. To some, the idea of planning ahead for a flu pandemic is crazy. Indeed, if a massive bird flu outbreak never happens, any preparations will seem alarmist...but if it does, those that planned ahead with some basic emergency supplies will be in a much, much better situation than those who did not.

So, what items should you buy to prepare for the possibility of a flu pandemic? First off, in the event of widespread human-to-human transmission of H5N1, the "bird flu virus," it is likely that global supply chains will be interrupted and goods and services which we take for granted today will no longer be available. Also, natural disasters like hurricanes and tornados can happen at any time, so you should start off with a basic emergency kit that includes a first aid kit, drinking water & food for two weeks for each member of your family, essential medications, a battery powered radio, and candles/flashlights. In addition to your basic emergency kit, you can get yourself "bird flu-ready" by purchasing these 4 things:

1) Hand Sanitizer -- If a flu pandemic hits, your best bet is to stay indoors, away from the sick, as much as possible. For those times when you must go out in public, good hygiene is essential to your survival. Your first line of defense against the flu (and just about any other easily-communicable disease) is frequent hand-washing. Recent studies have shown that alcohol-based hand sanitizer gels & sprays are actually more effective at killing viruses and bacteria than hand washing with soap & water. Hand sanitizer gel can be easily obtained in one-gallon containers at your local "big box" store or warehouse club. Adding one or two bottles to your emergency kit should cost you less than $10.

2) N95 Face Masks -- Since the flu virus is easily transmitted through inhalation, a face mask can be an excellent line of defense against a bird flu outbreak. Although any mask is better than no mask at all, the most effective masks at keeping out flu viruses are called "N95 Face Masks." These masks are usually available at pharmacies, medical supply stores, and hardware stores, since painters also use them. N95 face masks with metal nose clips work better than those without. Get 10 to 20 face masks for each member of your family...if you shop around, you can find N95 face masks in bulk for less than $0.50 each.

3) Anti-Viral Medications -- If you read the government's emergency response plan for a flu pandemic at http://www.pandemicflu.gov, you will see that in the event of a bird flu outbreak, there will not be anywhere near enough anti-viral medication to go around. The medication that is available will go to a select group of "essential personnel" that the government feels is essential to maintain national security, and chance are pretty good that you and your family are not members of the elite group who will be getting treatment.

Scientists and doctors agree that there are likely only two drugs which will be effective against the H5N1 bird flu: Tamiflu and Relenza. Both drugs require a prescription from your doctor. Many doctors will give patients a prescription for one of these drugs to keep "just in case" because they are also used to treat the seasonal ("normal") flu, so you may not even need to mention bird flu to get a prescription. Tamiflu comes in the form of pills that you take, whereas Relenza is an inhaled medication that comes packaged in a special inhaler. Many bird flu experts are recommending that prudent individuals get a course of one of these anti-viral drugs for each member of their family.

4) A Good Safe in a Good Hiding-Spot -- This last suggestion might seem especially extreme, but let's look at some simple facts. If we use a conservative estimate of a 10% mortality rate, 30 million people will be dying in the United States within the span of a few months when a flu pandemic hits. The medical system simply cannot handle that many patients, and as a result, people will be desperate. Experts predict widespread urban rioting and looting, and face masks and anti-viral medicines will be commodities that cannot be purchased at any price because supplies will simply not exist. Every home should be equipped with a safe to protect priceless valuables and family heirlooms...after all, robberies and home invasions occur all the time. In the event of a bird flu outbreak, you'll want to keep your medicine and face masks in the safe as well. These items very well could mean the difference between life and death, and don't think for a second that desperate people won't do anything, including breaking into your house, to get access to them.

Something like an impending global health disaster in the form of pandemic bird flu is never fun to think about, but not thinking about it will not make it go away. For just $100-200, you can add a few items to your emergency kit that will give you and your family a much greater chance of surviving a flu pandemic. Sure, there's a chance that the world will never see another flu pandemic, but there's a much greater chance that history will repeat itself like it has been for hundreds of years and we will see a virulent flu bug spread around the globe in our lifetime. If you ask me, I'd much rather be safe than sorry, particularly with a life-or-death matter like bird flu.