NationStates Jolt Archive

You should prepare. Stock up on canned goods. Get a case of Breakfast bars - they're cheap and nutritious.

I know it sounds like not that big a deal - but the Bird Flu is possibly going to go airborne with human-to-human transmission. I have this from more than one source. If the worst comes, it may happen in late spring or early summer.

Be prepared to be able to stay home with sufficient food and water for 3-4 weeks. The best way to survive is isolation. The virus should burn itself out eventually.

When it comes to canned goods get something that requires no preparation - like tuna - basically something you can eat right out of the can.

I'm not saying there's going to be a food shortage or anything - but you should be in a position where you don't have to leave the house.

If you have kids, get powdered or condensed milk.

I'm not trying to be scary or anything - but the next few times you're grocery shopping, buy a few cheap extras - just in case. Rice cakes suck, but they're nutritious, store well and they are dirt cheap. If you end up not needing them, feed them to the birds. Buy an extra jar of peanut butter - that won't go to waste.

This post is not a joke. People I respect for common-sense and intelligence are a bit worried. They are not freaking out or anything - but they are buying extra food.

I know most of you guys are going to think I'm paranoid - but I don't care. Here's why I am a little worried - or at least worried enough to spend about an extra ten bucks a week on groceries - in the last week I have received two telephone calls from old friends I have not spoken to in years.

One is a college buddy - the other is an old girlfriend. They do not know each other. Both are in health care occupations. Each call was eerily similar: Lots of chit-chat and catching up - who married who - who is having kids - who is already divorced - stuff like that. Each called ended with a "by the way, you should stock up on food just in case" warning about bird-flu.

They both downplayed it by saying it probably wouldn't happen - but better safe than sorry. On that last point -"better safe than sorry" - they used the exact same phrase. Yeah - it's a common phrase - but still, it made me think.

As I replayed the conversations in my head, I became more convinced that the warning was the primary reason for the calls and the chit-chat was just pretense. But then again, maybe I am just paranoid.

But here's the point I want to stress. If this happens - it's not going to be some strike from out of the blue - it will build slowly, then erupt. There will be warnings. At first, it will be treated like a joke - people that over-react will be laughed at. I don't care - I will "over-react".

When the first cases start getting reported in my area, I will stay home from work and not leave the house. I will be in for the duration. The early days are the days to stay home. Burn your sick days if you have to - but don't go to work - and have your larder full. Better safe than sorry.

Wow... you must be the first reported case of bird-flu-panic. I heard you people are contagious...

Well, you never know. I think having a few extra tins of beans in the cupboard would be pretty handy for a lot of situations, not just flu epidemics. Not a tricky thing to do if you have the space, but if the world gets taken over by zombies or whatever, you'll be laughing. HAHAHAHAHAHA, STUPID ZOMBIES! *EATS BEANS*

Then, all the zombies, they'll be like, we're so pwnt! :(

And then bird flu will go away.

So in summary, it's probably not a bad idea to stock up a bit, I agree, but I probably won't do it as I'm a poor student with no space for extra beans. :(

Wow... you must be the first reported case of bird-flu-panic. I heard you people are contagious...

I've been panicking for months, you don't want to see my 45 000 packs of ramen in the closet.

What the paranoia is going on here?

We should nuke the planet from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure

Sorry but i can't take this seriously coming from you.
Perhaps it is a 'The boy that cried wolf complex'.
Although indeed i shall stock up on Baked Beans(I shall harvest any gas for fuel).
Plus we have a decent sized Garden and a local Supermarket if we can take that by force of arms we can hold the area to ransom also the local Foodstuffs is nearby which is packed with food and we have an Army base which is seldom guarded all signs point to Good-o.
MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I know it sounds like not that big a deal - but the Bird Flu is possibly going to go airborne with human-to-human transmission. I have this from more than one source.
Of course - the experts having been talking about that possibility for years.

If the worst comes, it may happen in late spring or early summer.
Or maybe it happened this morning. Or maybe it won't ever happen. Speculation is rather pointless.

Wow... you must be the first reported case of bird-flu-panic. I heard you people are contagious...

I expected that response - all's I'm saying is this:

Give yourself the option of panic when the time comes. You can panic in private and none will be the wiser.

Having a few extra provisions in the larder gives you the option of being a little paranoid and skipping that last minute trip to the store where people will be coughing and weezing. Not making that trip to the market may save your life.

Know what'd be sweet? Human-to-human bird flue, Y2K style.

Know what'd be sweet? Human-to-human bird flue, Y2K style.
Millenium Style?

Do you guys remember having this exact conversation when SARS came around? And what happened with that?

*snippage*

When the first cases start getting reported in my area, I will stay home from work and not leave the house. I will be in for the duration. The early days are the days to stay home. Burn your sick days if you have to - but don't go to work - and have your larder full. Better safe than sorry.

You do realize the problems that will arise, should large numbers of people follow your advice, yes?

Do you guys remember having this exact conversation when SARS came around? And what happened with that?

Nothing...and I expect the same in this instance.

Nothing wrong with being prepared. I have about a weeks supply of water and canned/dry foods at any given time. Wouldn't take much to expand that.

I'm stocking up for Captain Trips.

OK folks, no kissing chickens ...

or drinking their blood for fun.

One of the worst cases of bird 'flu panic I've seen. Nothing can be done for the poor blighter, except this:
Adopt the pose:
http://www.dvd.net.au/movies/t/08232-4.jpg
and repeat after me:
"I'm a teapot!
I'm a teapot!
I'm a teapot!
I'm a teapot!"

OK folks, no kissing chickens ...

or drinking their blood for fun.
ohhhh...now what am I going to do during my weekends?
spoilt sport.

I expected that response - all's I'm saying is this:

Give yourself the option of panic when the time comes. You can panic in private and none will be the wiser.

Having a few extra provisions in the larder gives you the option of being a little paranoid and skipping that last minute trip to the store where people will be coughing and weezing. Not making that trip to the market may save your life.


I dont see your advice as panic. I have no problem with being vigilant and aware. I've already taken reasonable steps to be prepared-to provide for my family in the case of general emergency.
Wether its bird flu, or another hurricane or attack of some sort. I am prepared to either stay at my home to wait out the emergency or hit the road and move to a safer location. Reasonable preparation for either choice will give me the luxury of making a decision if faced with one.

I've said before-neither myself nor any of my family will ever die in an attic waiting for the Coast Guard to chop us out. None of us will stand on line for a dirty bucket of water or random MRE. We wont sleep in a sea of human filth in a Super-Dome type scenario.
We'll be safe and comfortable and not have to react like lemmings when faced with a pending disaster.

So- prevent panic and paranoia. Be reasonably prepared. Have a supply of necessities and comfort/hygeine items that you normally use. Use them as you normally would and replenish them when you shop.

Its no big deal.

ohhhh...now what am I going to do during my weekends?
spoilt sport.
There's always rubber chickens... Just like blowup dolls, not as satisfying, but a lot safer. :p

go to the store, buy a 25 lb sack of dried beans and a 25 lb sack of rice.

you have stocked up for the crisis for less than $25

now quit worrying about it. it will happen or it wont. there isnt anything you can do about it until it hits (or doesnt).

its more sensible than worrying about the yellowstone caldera exploding but less sensible than worrying about gingivitis.

Do you guys remember having this exact conversation when SARS came around? And what happened with that?

SARS had a 5% mortality rate. Its possibly the worlds sillyiest international scare. Although at the time it was funny that the SARS outbreak coincided with the release of Hong Kong's new tourist slogan "Hong Kong will take your breath away"

Do you guys remember having this exact conversation when SARS came around? And what happened with that?
Earth's human population was reduced to a tenth of it's original size and civilisation collapsed, don't you remember?

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=57

:D

Earth's human population was reduced to a tenth of it's original size and civilisation collapsed, don't you remember?
But it bounced back very fast. Anyone would be confused.

SARS had a 5% mortality rate. Its possibly the worlds sillyiest international scare. Although at the time it was funny that the SARS outbreak coincided with the release of Hong Kong's new tourist slogan "Hong Kong will take your breath away"

And the bird flu will probably be the same. Or less. By the time it becomes transferrable between people (if ever), we'll have developed vaccines and meds for it.

meh... i work in a hospital during the day, and a supermarket at night... high risk? Nah... early warning and lots of food.....

Just be positive...

test post...
(my above was edited straight away by someone called beltway)

test post...
(my above was edited straight away by someone called beltway)Was it? Did anything change?

EDIT: Nope. Someone called history buff must have managed to edit my post right when I submitted it...
Forum's just being silly

okay, I already have food and stuff.....but for threats that are much more likely to happen (like tornados and floods)

I am not afraid of the bird flu, what like 1 person for every 100 infected actually dies? and they are always the really old or the really sick?

We should nuke the planet from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure

http://www.abestweb.com/smilies/yes.gif

http://www.abestweb.com/smilies/yes.gif
It NODS!!! :D

It NODS!!! :D

It was in my collection the whole time. Right under my nose. http://www.abestweb.com/smilies/yes.gif

Well, you never know. I think having a few extra tins of beans in the cupboard would be pretty handy for a lot of situations, not just flu epidemics. Not a tricky thing to do if you have the space, but if the world gets taken over by zombies or whatever, you'll be laughing. HAHAHAHAHAHA, STUPID ZOMBIES! *EATS BEANS*
:(

LOL!

okay, I already have food and stuff.....but for threats that are much more likely to happen (like tornados and floods)

I am not afraid of the bird flu, what like 1 person for every 100 infected actually dies? and they are always the really old or the really sick?
Well, the 1918 flu was possibly a bird flu crossover thingumy, and that affected young, healthy adults, largely sparing the very young and very old from harm.

Read this ABC story from last night:

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/AvianFlu/story?id=1724801

Renowned Bird Flu Expert Warns: Be Prepared

There Are "About Even Odds" That the Virus Could Mutate to an Easily Transmitted Form, He Tells 'World News Tonight'

March 14, 2006 — Robert G. Webster is one of the few bird flu experts confident enough to answer the key question: Will the avian flu switch from posing a terrible hazard to birds to becoming a real threat to humans?

There are "about even odds at this time for the virus to learn how to transmit human to human," he told ABC's "World News Tonight." Webster, the Rosemary Thomas Chair at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., is credited with being the first scientist to find the link between human flu and bird flu.

Webster and his team of scientists are working to find a way to beat the virus if it morphs. He has even been dubbed the Flu Hunter.

Right now, H5N1, a type of avian influenza virus, has confined itself to birds. It can be transmitted from bird to human but only by direct contact with the droppings and excretions of infected birds.

But viruses mutate, and the big fear among the world's scientists is that the bird flu virus will join the human flu virus, change its genetic code and emerge as a new and deadly flu that can spread through the air from human to human.

If the virus does mutate, it does not necessarily mean it will be as deadly to people as it is to birds. But experts such as Webster say they must prepare for the worst.

"I personally believe it will happen and make personal preparations," said Webster, who has stored a three-month supply of food and water at his home in case of an outbreak.

Frightening Warning

"Society just can't accept the idea that 50 percent of the population could die. And I think we have to face that possibility," Webster said. "I'm sorry if I'm making people a little frightened, but I feel it's my role."

Most scientists won't put it that bluntly, but many acknowledge that Webster could be right about the flu becoming transmissible among humans, even though they believe the 50 percent figure could be too high.

Researcher Dr. Anne Moscona at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center said that a human form may not mutate this year or next — or ever — but it would be foolish to ignore the dire consequences if it did.

"If bird flu becomes not bird flu but mutates into a form that can be transmitted between humans, we could then have a spread like wildfire across the globe," Moscona said.

No one knows how long or how many mutation changes it would take for bird flu to become a direct threat to humans.

"It may not do it. There may just be too many changes. The virus may not be able to be a human virus," Moscona said.

But that hasn't stopped Moscona from searching for new types of anti-viral treatments that both prevent and slow the spread of bird flu.

"I don't think that once we have human-to-human transmission, it's going to be possible to contain it," she said.

That is why nearly every viral scientist in America, perhaps the world, is waiting and watching the avian flu virus to see if it remains just a threat to birds or changes its genetic code and becomes a deadly threat to humans as well.