Everyone is panicking; people are pushing and fighting each other at Costco for the last rolls of toilet paper or the last gallon of milk. The chaos is spreading faster than the virus itself. Public transportation has stopped running. Surviving the next pandemic in a panicked society will be harder than surviving whatever government-issued virus was released that started it all. 

Surviving the Next Pandemic

In the 20th Century, three flu outbreaks killed between 50 and 100 million people. So when the next pandemic happens, as Bill Gates told us it will, what can you do to survive? “We need to be prepared for the next pandemic” ~ Bill Gates (coming soon to a town near you) 

How will you prepare yourself to survive a dangerous outbreak of disease that is rapidly spreading over large areas? Here are some tips for Surviving the next pandemic according to Skillset. 

Doomsday Prepping 

Being a doomsday prepper has its perks. Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The common flu is not the only outbreak we’ve lived through. In the last 50 years, we have seen HIV, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola, and the Zika virus. Some even think the powers that be for population control could be bioengineering, the next killer pathogen. Pretty scary, right? 

Sadly, scientific advances in gene editing and gene sequencing have made such horror possible. But hey, we all love our bioengineered strawberries in the winter, and bell peppers that are two x’s the size they are when organically grown. Bioterrorism has the capacity to kill 30 million people a year, according to what the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would hope … I mean their calculations. As a society, we are extremely unprepared as individuals. We need to be prepared to save ourselves and our loved ones. 

Because of human waste, carbon footprints, garbage, and long-distance travel, not to mention the lack of a way of controlling mosquitoes, mosquito-transmitted Diseases like malaria, Dengue, Zika, West Nile virus, Chikungunya, and Yellow fever seem to be spreading farther and faster than ever before. 

A possible pandemic is one of the worst threats facing humanity. I mean, there is that asteroid YR4 that could possibly hit Earth in 2032; it has a 1 in 43 chance of striking Earth and is the size of Cinderella’s castle at Disney World. If it misses us in 2032, scientists say it will still pass near Earth at least six more times between 2032 and 2074. Yay us! 

Now that we understand how dangerous the next pandemic could be, what skills can we acquire to survive the next pandemic? 

Food and Water

It’s a good idea to stockpile at least a minimum of 2 weeks of work. It is best to buy non-perishable foods that need not be cooked or refrigerated. This is when we all want those pesky preservatives that ridiculously long the shelf-life of food. Hopefully, you’re a fan of canned beans, meats, crackers, and shelf-stable milk. The only good news is you can justify eating all of the junk food you want and actually claim it’s for sustenance. Last time I checked, potato chips don’t need to be refrigerated. 

You should store at least 4 liters (1 gallon) of water per person per day. Part of the gallon should be allocated for food prep and some for personal hygiene and sanitary uses. 

Medicines 

Some pandemics can last for years; if there are lockdowns in place and private companies banking billions, they could keep the pandemic going even longer (oops, said the quiet part out loud). Either way, if you regularly take medications and run out, that can be a bigger issue than the pandemic itself. Don’t worry; we’ve all seen The Walking Dead, and we’ll just send Maggie and Glen to raid the local pharmacy and take whatever they can to keep our group going. 

Prepare for weather conditions, heat or cold. 

We won’t be able to rely on modern comforts like furnaces and air conditioners anymore. Places like North Dakota, with its winters, or Phoenix, AZ, with its summers, may not be ideal places to stay if power is cut to keep us all in line—I mean to conserve energy for the betterment of mankind. 

PPE 

We all became aware of this term during COVID-19, the personal protective gear. This is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. If you still want to try your little paper masks, please do, but something more substantial and compelling, like safety helmets, gloves, eyeglasses, earplugs, full-body suits, vests, hard hats, safety footwear, and Respiratory protective equipment.

Personal Medical Kit

A personal medical kit with a tourniquet and wound care is best for any occasion. 

Make sure to get one equipped with life-saving first-aid & trauma items. Quality supplies: Bleeding, Airway, Burns, Hydration, Meds and Sprains.

Be Prepared for Chaos

Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t the virus itself that is the biggest danger. It’s the panicked behavior of other people. Fear and civil unrest can be dangerous to their agenda and public health. As society collapses, you can be in danger of anything from home invasions to desperate people trying to take your food and water. Ensure you secure your homes with heavy locks and plenty of self-defense weapons. You never know when those Walking Dead rules will apply when you take a mutha- out. 

After a pandemic, your world will be different. A lot of us experienced that with COVID-19: up was down, dark was light, and some of us didn’t know where to look for the truth and people who would just be honest with us. A lot of us lost loved ones to death or were simply indifferent to how we should have treated each other through the mess of it all. Maybe colleagues, long-time friends, or even family. 

The more self-sufficient you are, the better. Make sure you talk to those around you, and trades should be held on high again, like those who know how to grow a tomato or bake a loaf of bread. The ones who are squeamish about butchering the chicken or the ones who know how to raise chickens for eggs and leave their necks alone. 

Life may never be the same, but if you follow this advice, you’ll have a better chance of surviving to see how the bad guys will try to take us out the next time.