The coronavirus, and fear that it could turn into a pandemic, are

dominating news headlines and social media sites. Governments

and citizens are beginning to take measures to deal with what
looks like the inevitable – coronavirus becoming a local issue….

The dreaded coronavirus.

The comments I’ve seen on social media sites have run the
gamut from “it’s fake news” to “the sky is falling” to “REAL
preppers are already prepared for this.” This is certainly not fake
news. I’m not going to tell you the sky is falling (yet), and as for
“REAL” preppers already being prepared, that’s just unfair.
Remember, before anyone was a “real” prepper, they were a
novice prepper. People starting out in personal preparedness
don’t know everything they should prepare for, let alone how to
prepare. People new to prepping should not be criticized for just
getting started. They should not be ridiculed for their fear. They
should be welcomed! After all…
Fear is What Drives Preppers
I’ve been in the prepping world long enough to see the impact
that fear has on prepping. Whether it’s Y2K, climate change, or
this coronavirus, fear is what drives people to prepare.
Fear isn’t a bad thing. It’s an innate survival response. It helps
keep us safe.

Each event such as these brings new preppers to the prepping

community who then become “real” preppers. Today’s novice
preppers afraid of a coronavirus outbreak will become
tomorrow’s veteran preppers.

Whether people are unnecessarily afraid of a pandemic or not

doesn’t matter. The reality is we just don’t know yet what an
appropriate level of fear is. It’s entirely possible that this virus
could come and go like many others before it, doing little to
nothing to impact our daily lives. It’s also entirely possible that
the virus could spiral out of control and turn into a full-blown
pandemic on the scale of the 1918 Spanish Flu.
The “Spanish Flu” pandemic was one of the greatest medical
disasters of the 20th century.
Yes, it’s true, that veteran preppers should already be ready for
this. However, not everyone is a veteran prepper and even those
who are may now be prompted to evaluate exactly how ready for
a pandemic they are.
What does it mean to prepare for a coronavirus pandemic? Will
get into that, but first…

What is the Coronavirus?

“Coronavirus” is a broad term, encompassing a large family of
viruses capable of infecting humans and animals. For the most
part, the coronavirus has done little more than cause the
common cold. However, three times now in the 21st century, new
iterations of the virus have caused serious concerns of a global
pandemic. First, in 2003, there was SARS (severe acute
respiratory syndrome). Then, in 2012, there was MERS (Middle
East respiratory syndrome). Now we have a new form, 2019-
nCoV, coming out of Wuhan, China. According
to ForeignPolicy.com:
The coronavirus is a physically large virus—in relative terms, at just 125
nanometers with a surface of spike projections, too big to survive or stay
suspended in the air for hours or travel more than a few feet. Like influenza, this
coronavirus spreads through both direct and indirect contact. Direct contact
occurs through the physical transfer of the microorganism among friends and
family through close contact with oral secretions. Indirect contact results when
an infected person coughs or sneezes, spreading coronavirus droplets on nearby
surfaces, including doorknobs, bedrails, and smartphones.

Like its cousins SARS and MERS, this version also causes
pneumonia. Complications move on from there, including septic
shock, acute kidney injury, and virus-induced cardiac injury. This
virus is no joke. It is serious. It is lethal. So now…

How do You Prepare for a Coronavirus Pandemic?

First – the good news. As of this writing, you still have time.
People are getting nervous, evidenced by stores selling out of
surgical masks, but there are no U.S. quarantines, grocery stores
still have food, trucks are still delivering, and if you really want
face masks, they can still be found on Amazon here and eBay
here.
So, what does preparing for a coronavirus pandemic look like? In
many ways, it’s not any different from preparing for other events
– with a few exceptions. Start by considering the implications.
You could get sick. A loved one could get sick. You could be
subject to a quarantine, whether you’re sick or not.

The basics:
 Store (at least) a two-week supply of food and water. This
doesn’t have to be “wasted” preps. You can go to the grocery
store and simply buy extra of what you already eat. That is
not wasted money as you’ll eat it anyway.
 Make sure you have enough prescription and
nonprescription drugs on-hand. This means pain relievers,
cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, vitamins,
and whatever personal drugs and medical equipment you
might need.
 Talk with family members about what will happen if they (or
you) get sick. Who will care for them? Having a plan in
place beforehand will allow a faster response should the plan
need to be enacted.
 Have protective equipment stocked away. This means
having protective face masks, nitrile exam gloves, and hand
sanitizer.
In all likelihood, even if it hits full pandemic, you won’t need a
backup energy source, a survival knife, or a water purifier.
Those are prepping basics that aren’t likely to help you during a
pandemic. However, if emergency services are strapped, having
a police scanner for home preparedness will keep you informed
on what’s happening in your area.
How do You Stay Safe During a Pandemic?
So you took (or have already taken) the steps necessary to
prepare for a pandemic, and now one has hit. How do
you stay safe… or at least reduce your odds of getting sick?
Simple…
 Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. Don’t go into
public spaces unless you must.
 Wash your hands OFTEN – and don’t touch your eyes, nose,
and mouth!
 If you can work from home, do so.
 If you can stay home altogether, do so.
There’s no need to panic about a pandemic. Stay calm and prep
on.

https://prepperpress.com/dont-be-scared-of-a-coronavirus-pandemic-prepare-for-it/