No doubt you have been hearing about it – H1N1 – more notoriously known as the swine flu. The World Health Organization declared a pandemic back in June. Another wave is expected during flu season (that is approximately ten weeks away). At this point it is difficult to tell how powerful this next wave will be, but the fear is that it will become more powerful and more deadly. Without getting into the specifics of why this is a credible threat, let me say that I think it to be very important that every citizen do five things now to be prepared.

1. Start stocking up on water, nonperishable foods and other essentials.

Now you have heard this about disasters for years, but this is a bit different. In the disasters we are most familiar with other areas that are not affected can come to our aid. Not so with the pan flu. We will all be dealing with it at the same time.

Grocery shopping on a whim may be a luxury we will not have. Major grocery distributors and retailers have been preparing pandemic plans for the reality that in-store shopping may not be an option.

So, to be safe, the suggestion is that you stock up for thirty days. This may seem like it requires a great deal of time and energy, but it is do-able. For the next ten weeks when you go to the grocery store pick up three days of extra supplies. Come October 1 (flu season) you will have your thirty days stocked.

I have a few additional tips on this front. Food that is stocked for emergency should be rotated through your regular food supply. Try and avoid sticking it in a bin somewhere and forgetting about it. Also, to avoid wasting money, don’t buy food for your stockpile that you would not eat normally – remember to maintain an ongoing thirty day stockpile you will be rotating things in and out…it is hard to rotate out items that you would only eat if they were the last item in the pantry.

Non-perishable food stocks are better than perishable and items that need no cooking to eat are the best of all. There have been talks about the vulnerability of the electrical grid during a pandemic, be prepared for the fact that you may lose electricity. And make sure you have a manual can opener just in case.

Don’t forget other things such as toilet paper, garbage bags, batteries, diapers, baby food and formula, pet food and supplies (such as cat litter, hamster bedding, etc.), and personal hygiene items. Anything that you, a family member or a pet cannot live without for thirty days you should have stocked (so, you know I have the coffee stockpiled).

In regard to water, the general rule is one gallon per person per day. It is not realistic for most families to stockpile this amount of water. Here is an alternative: save old milk jugs and two liter soda bottles, rinse them well with hot water and keep them handy. You can always fill those quickly if need be. It is a good idea regardless to have at least a week’s supply of water already bottled and available.

2. Stock up on first aid and general health supplies.

I dare say most homes already have most of these things handy, but check your expiration dates. It takes a few years for most things to expire, but most folks keep things in their medicine cabinets long past the expiration date. Also check the expiration dates on the new items you buy. Small stores that only sell medicine infrequently keep stock for awhile and could have items that are close to expiration.

Here is the short list on first aid and general health supplies and it applies to adults, children and pets which may have different versions (e.g., Tylenol, children’s Tylenol, and infant Tylenol): pain and fever relievers (e.g., acetaminophen or ibuprofen), other general medications (sinus relief, antacids, diaper rash cream, etc.), anti-diarrhea medicine, hand soap, hand sanitizer (must be at least 60% alcohol to be effective), electrolyte fluids (or the supplies to create your own – salt, sugar, water- see recipe at http://www.readymoms.org/docs/hd_ors.pdf), general first aid supplies(alcohol, peroxide, band-aids, general pain and antibiotic ointments, etc.), a thermometer, vitamins (especially chewables for children – which in a pinch work just fine for adults as well), and tissues (have them handy in a purse or pocket and throw them away after one use).

3. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about having additional medication stockpiled at home.

A pandemic stresses the medical system. If you have a prescription that you take regularly, ask your doctor or pharmacist about getting an additional thirty day supply as a back-up. If you can get a sixty or ninety day back-up supply even better. If you become ill because you run out of needed medication or medical supplies the system that is in place to treat you may be too overtaxed to help you in a timely fashion. The medical system will suffer with the same personnel shortage as everyone else (estimated to be 20-40%) plus they will have an increased demand for their services to deal with those that are ill with the pan flu. Do as much as you can now to avoid having to rely on the medical system when it is under stress.

4. Start practicing good health behaviors now.

Hand washing, proper cough and sneeze technique and smart health behaviors are very effective in limiting the spread of disease. If you change the way you think about these things today, you have a better chance of staying healthy.

Hand washing is key –see the illustration below from HandWashing.net (by the way, they have great posters you can print out for schools, businesses, etc. at their site –http://www.washinghands.net/posters-signs-pictures.php). Also see Florida’s 5th Guy site at http://www.5thguy.com/handwashing.htm for a series of great educational (and funny) videos for business.

Practice proper cough and sneeze technique with or without tissue – from Toronto Public Health (without-use your sleeve) and U.K. Public Health (with- use a tissue-catch it (with a tissue), bin it (throw it out), kill it (wash your hands) – see the short but powerful video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsbO-YmE4qY). There is also a good video on proper technique on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wju7F5ytk6M . Of course, wash your hands after coughing or sneezing regardless of whether you used your sleeve or a tissue.

          

Stop touching your face with your hands! It is a dangerous habit to have in a pandemic and a hard one to break (I know I suffer with it myself). To cure yourself of this pay attention for just one day to how many times you touch your face with your hands (you will be stunned). On day two make a conscious effort to catch yourself before touching your face. Before long you will have reduced this unconscious behavior on your part and greatly reduced the potential of infecting yourself. Tell your kids too – they seem to be abnormally fascinated with what is in their nose – teach them to always approach their nose with a tissue in hand and to wash their hands afterwards (the days of saying “Pick a winner!” may be gone).

   

Social distancing has been proven to be the most effective tool against disease spread in a pandemic. This could mean limiting or canceling non-essential events where large groups gather and rethinking the spatial placement of employees within places of business. To places like grocery stores, movie theaters, educational institutions and churches (to name but a few) this means having to either close their doors or address the challenge of accomplishing social distancing.

A pandemic has the potential to dramatically change the way we interact socially and professionally. Start thinking about what that might mean to you, your family, your business and your community. Think about the ways you can still accomplish the things you’d like to accomplish without putting yourself or others at risk.

5. Ask your employer and your child’s school or daycare about their pandemic plans.

Find out what your employer’s plan is in regard to a pandemic. Ask your employer if they plan to adjust their leave policy, if they plan to change their criteria for who can be at work, if they plan to adopt a social distancing operating protocol and if they plan to pay you when you are out sick and how (and how much- will it be a percentage or full pay). Also, ask about your employer’s policy regarding employees who must stay home with children when daycare facilities or schools are closed. Will your employer allow you to work from home and are you already set-up to work at home with the software, equipment, etc. you need?

As for schools and daycares ask them what their triggers are for facility closure. What are they doing now to protect your child?  Are they enforcing hand sanitizer use, are they teaching proper hand washing and coughing/sneezing techniques, are they spreading children out in the classroom a bit more, are they enforcing a stringent sick-child policy…what are they doing to reduce the risk to your child and ultimately your family? And note that this applies to colleges and universities as well – what is their plan to manage this health risk in the dorms, in the classrooms, at sporting events…tough questions and big challenges.

I know that thinking about the ramifications of a pandemic is the last thing you want to be burdened with on a nice summer day like today. Just start with these five things – they really are not that much work and they can help ensure that you and your family will be able to enjoy the fall and winter seasons.

Below I have provided a few resource links where you can get more information on supplies, healthy behaviors, etc. Flu season starts October 1, preparing for flu season should start today…do five things.

Day seventeen of the new forty – obla di obla da

CC

Personal Pandemic Preparedness Resource List
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/resources/personpanprep.htm

Ready Moms Alliance
http://www.readymoms.org/

Flu.gov
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/

H1N1 – Pandemic Influenza News and Resources
http://emssolutionsinc.wordpress.com/