New movie: Contagion

**your_comforting_company** · 08-25-2011, 06:48 AM

Saw the movie advertised, and I have to say it's probably my worst fear for an EOTWAWKI scenario.. just think every surface, every person, is potentially infected. You'd have to isolate yourself completely from the rest of the world.. Then, still, how long would a virus such as that persist in the environment without hosts?

Anyhow, it struck me that I have no idea what sort of things could be used for personal safety in such a situation. viruses evolve very rapidly, as we've seen lately with bird and swine flu, and even with bacteria like the new staph, MRSA, which I've already had dealings with.

So what happens when all the hospitals, and every public terminal is contaminated? What do you do when everyone around you could be a possible carrier? When even the doctors are sick and dying and medicine has not been developed to treat such a pandemic, who are you gonna turn to for help?

It's a very real possibility, even more, I think, than nuclear war or a comet or freak solar flare. Consider the advancements in ecological and biological warfare, coupled with terrorism. Suped-up anthrax is already out there with a kill-span around 4 days.
So... What if?
How do we prepare for such an event?
(Another good reason to quit smoking and get healthier!!)

**Trabitha** · 08-25-2011, 07:06 AM

Just watched the trailer. Wow...most definitely one of those fears that we all have, as I believe we can all clearly see a super bug getting out of control.
Staying in your home for as long as humanly possible...seems to be the only real way to stay away from people. Eventually water will stop running, if not become infected...and anything coming INTO the house is suspect. I seriously believe a super bug that has gotten out of control is a terrible thing to have to wait out.

**Rick** · 08-25-2011, 07:08 AM

It's not that far fetched. When I was a kid, and I'm sure this is true for many on here, it was not uncommon to see a sign on a house "QUARANTINED" because they had some communicable disease such as mumps or measles. Sometimes those outbreaks were pretty huge. I can remember 1st or 2nd grade that about half the class was in quarantine and I wound up there as well with a case of mumps. Back then doctors made house calls and, of course, the doctor went from house to house to house. Go figure.

Fortunately, vaccines changed all that. To bad that younger folks didn't experience that to understand how important vaccines are. Of course, if folks continue to not vaccinate their kids they may yet see it.

**BENESSE** · 08-25-2011, 08:59 AM

It's impossible to reasonably protect oneself from everything imaginable.
There comes a point where we have to wrap our mind around the fact that life isn't always worth living, though we might try til the last dying breath.

One of the more fascinating books I've read on the subject of virulent mass destruction is Earth Abides by George R. Stewart. Very realistic and entirely plausible.

**Winnie** · 08-25-2011, 10:30 AM

Couldn't put it better my self, Rick. Vaccination progammes are so important.
I would go for self-imposed quarantine if I possibly could. I have had first hand experience of how epedemics work. I remember the Hong Kong flu epidemic in the '60's It was scary to say the least. My Dad quarantined our family. We had no contact with others for a month until the flu had moved through the area. When I went back to School, it was to find 7 of my schoolmates had died and more suffered permanent damage.
All you have to do is look in history, Plague in the 1300's and again in the 1600's, Cholera in the 1800's, Influenza in the 1900's and spasmodic outbreaks of smallpox have caused millions of deaths. What we now call childhood diseases have been responsible for millions more. Time and again, though these diseases have been beaten either by vaccine or hygene practices and in the case of some, better diet. We can now identify and isolate our enemy and I have no doubt whatsoever that in the future we will beat another, new disease.

**Sourdough** · 08-25-2011, 11:09 AM

How does Tropical climate vs. Arctic climate effect life cycle of virus......????

My only remote quasi human link is from my Mail.

**Rick** · 08-25-2011, 12:58 PM

It depends on the virus. Some won't survive a good snap of cold weather while others can lay dormant for a very long time. Some can't survive outside the host for very long. As to infection, it depends on how the virus is transmitted. Some are by touch only while others are airborne and yet others all of the above.

**crashdive123** · 08-25-2011, 01:37 PM

Don't forget them chemtrails.

**Sourdough** · 08-25-2011, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

Don't forget them chemtrails.

After some super spicy chili, I get chemtrails exiting the outhouse.

**SARKY** · 08-25-2011, 03:03 PM

That is why you need a door on the outhouse!

**crashdive123** · 08-25-2011, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Sourdough

After some super spicy chili, I get chemtrails exiting the outhouse.

Yeah, that is when you have an outhouse.

**Rick** · 08-25-2011, 06:25 PM

I think at ground level they are called geysers. In his case, geezer geysers.

**your_comforting_company** · 08-26-2011, 07:43 AM

I understand vaccines are the primary line of defense against superbugs, but just like the avian and swine flu we've recently had, they are unexpected and you can't invent a vaccine for a bug that hasn't presented itself yet.

I would think self quarantine would be the only way. Some CAN lay dormant for a very long time and some viruses (since they are not technically "living organisms") can survive sub-arctic temperatures AND super-hot desert temps. Some can live outside a host for months, while others will "die" after only a few minutes without a host. Bacteria can live in rocks that float in space (no atmosphere, registerable temperature, etc.) so it's not impossible for ANY bug to evolve and adapt to conditions that would make it infectious in whatever preventative case the potential "hosts" have moved to.

What is the longest lasting (outside of a host) virus that we know of? I would say that would be the minimum self-quarantine time-frame. Being able to identify the symptoms by simply observing whoever is outside your door wanting to get in would be handy IF it doesn't have a long incubation period. Still.. I think of my kids in public schools and the very real possibility of it being spread rapidly. Honestly, there is no way I could abandon my kids outside the quarantine zone just to save myself.

I'm thinking that minimal preps for this scenario would include masks & gloves, lysol, and lots of bullets. a months supply of food and meds would be (in my mind at least) minimum preps. I still can't help thinking that I'm leaving something out, so if I may ask you all to let's brainstorm this thing...

**Winnie** · 08-26-2011, 08:20 AM

Know your enemy, make sure you have the most up to date info on the disease. How it is tranferred, incubation period, symptoms, how long is a victim contagious.
I think as well as quarantine the most important thing is hygene, not just personal but environmental. Have a way to dispose of waste and what about energy?

**Rick** · 08-26-2011, 08:33 AM

Self quarantine simply doesn't work for the general population. We saw that a couple of years back when a guy with XDR-TB decided to fly from Prague to Montreal and then on to Denver. People have bills to pay and they will continue to go to work and travel as they deem necessary despite the risks to themselves and others.

A lot will depend on the exact nature of the disease and the mode of transmission but some type of mask and frequent hand washing is certainly at the top of the list. A hand sanitizer in lieu of hand washer if access to water is a problem. Most viruses will invade through the nose and eyes. Think of that region as an upside down triangle and that becomes your danger zone. Keep you fingers out of the area and you won't redeposit viruses from some surface to your fingers to free access to the party.

Cover all sneezes and coughs in the crook of your elbow and not in your hand if a handkerchief is not present. Preventing vaporized water droplets from free floating in the air will help contain some viruses that are air borne.

Common sense and adhering to the things mom told you will go a long way in preventing transmission. Mom lived at a time when communicable diseases were pretty rampant so she's learned how to minimize risk.

**BENESSE** · 08-26-2011, 09:17 AM

Do everything you can to eat & stay healthy and build up your immunity.
Google super foods (garlic, blueberries, broccoli, walnuts, green tea, chia berries, etc, etc.) and make them part of your diet. Quit smoking. Exercise.
People who are healthy and whose system isn't compromised are less likely to get sick and catch whatever's going around. And if they do come down with something, they have a better chance of bouncing back. Throughout history people have contracted and actually survived diseases that killed hundreds of thousands. Like the plague.
There's no sure thing, but if you can improve your chances by doing what's known to work, why not? Approach it as the ultimate prep--better to be healthy and not need it (har, har), than need it and... you know...

**Rick** · 08-26-2011, 12:18 PM

+1 B. I read an interesting article yesterday that genetically traced our immune system robustness directly to Neanderthals. They have determined the specific gene that Neanderthal bequeathed to us through interbreeding. It only appears in Europeans and not in Africans since that's where Neanderthal lived. This isn't the exact article but covers the basics.

http://news.in.msn.com/international...mentid=5394569

**Mad Cow** · 08-26-2011, 01:06 PM

Wash your hands a bunch to. In the end. you can only do what you can do. I look at plagues like comet strikes, and the like. They will get you or they wont, but most likely will. The most important thing to do is not get wrapped up in the sensationalism that surrounds thees things, wash your hands allot.