5 Things You Should Have in Order to Survive a Pandemic

• Wearing a mask is an inexpensive and easy way to ward off the virus.
• Goggles can prevents droplets from entering your eyes.
• Always keep alcohol and sanitizers on hand.

The coronavirus is still spreading steadily as of this writing and has claimed more lives, mostly in China. You can’t be blamed for thinking that the doomsday scenarios that you have watched in movies such as Contagion (Matt Damon, Kate Gwyneth Paltrow) are suddenly being realized, but of course we are hoping we never reach that stage.

Until then, the best that we can do is take care of ourselves and prepare for the worst care scenario. It IS possible to survive a pandemic if you arm yourself with the right tools.

#1. Masks

In case of a pandemic of a truly massive scale, here are some of the things you should stock on to maintain your health and your life: masks

Wearing a mask is an affordable and easy way to ward off the virus. Aside from the soft disposable masks that you see everyone wearing these days, you can also upgrade to an N95 or N1000 mask.

The latter has a respirator with an adjustable nose clip, perfect for those with breathing problems.

#2. Goggles

Unfortunately, transmission through the eye is possible when droplets enter your body. If you have to be in closed quarters or public transportation when it’s impossible to stay away from people sneezing, goggles will serve as extra protection.

#3. Gloves

Frequent handwashing is a must during these times, but you can’t wash your hands ALL the time, especially when you’re outside. Wearing gloves is the next best thing especially if you are handling objects from sick individuals. If you are taking care of a sick family member, it’s best to wear gloves when handling food or doing the laundry of the said person.

#4. Antiseptics and disinfectants

Putting a barrier between the world outside and your flesh is not enough protection. When you take your mask and gloves off, you have to rinse your body to remove bacteria that may have stuck on your hair and skin. Alcohol and sanitizers are the most accessible disinfectants around and it’s easy to bring them with you everywhere.

At home, using good old soap and water is the best. Disinfectant sprays are a must for sanitizing your house as well.

#5. Thermometers

Fever is one of the signs of the coronavirus. Having a thermometer within reach helps you decide whether you should be going to the hospital immediately. The usual analog and disposable thermometers will do.

In the most severe cases (such as the Ebola outbreak), hospitals use no-touch thermometers to check patients.