Pandemic Preparedness: Preparing for a 21st Century Global Pandemic

It is unfortunate, but today the world requires people to engage in pandemic preparedness measures, as terrorists and Mother Nature plague society with new strains of viruses and unanticipated deadly outbreaks.

Modern science and technology, along with the 2001 anthrax mail scare and the Tokyo subway gas attack in 1995, are forcing people and the government to rethink emergency methods and look at the past, such as the 1918 influenza pandemic, to prevent history from repeating itself.

In fact the United States government went so far as to create a national stockpile, full of vaccines or cures for fatal, debilitating or life-threatening pathogens, which could prevent a full blown outbreak in the event a biological agent gets out of control.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, better known as the CDC, are a great help in preparing for a pandemic, as they have countless resources and compiled a categorized list of pathogens that could cause an outbreak, as well as the severity of their consequences. This knowledge allows the government to enforce, through the health care system, specific vaccinations and through labs and research, the treatments that pharmaceutical companies must produce in large quantities to keep in the national stockpile.

In taking these measures, the United States government, along with the health care industry, is creating the first steps in preparedness for pandemic.

Of course, there are those who believe that the United States government and the CDC do NOT have the best interests of citizens in enforcing vaccines. In fact, those that follow conspiracy theories and speculation will tell you not to believe much that the government says.

Therefore, it is up to you to take control of your health and well-being. However, you might want to ask yourself why many in the medical community refuse to get the annual flu vaccine.

Rapid Mutation

The government and its agencies, at all levels, not just the CDC, along with international organizations, like the World Health Organization, or WHO, are all doing their part to stay ahead of pathogens and prevent a pandemic but it is also important for you to do your part.

Over the last two years, the influenza vaccination has not been as effective in preventing the present strains of the flu, which means that this virus is mutating so quickly and with such unpredictability, that scientists cannot track or keep up with it.

Just as global warming and pollution are current issues, so are new diseases or mutations of old ones, some of which science has yet to find the answers. The same way nature can create new strains of viruses or bacteria, terrorists can do the same in their labs, which is why you have to prepare. Science and medicine can only move so quickly and take society so far but to truly partake in preparedness for pandemic, you need knowledge.

Doing Your Part for Pandemic Preparedness

To actively do your part for preparedness for pandemic, you need to stay healthy and know the warning signs. In addition to eating healthy and taking your vitamins, having a stockpile of food and water to get you through a prolonged quarantine should be top of your preps.

Have a supply of masks, especially those especially designed to filter out viruses, such as: the N95, N99, NTV2 and the ViraMask.

Stock up on bleach and hand sanitizer, as well as vitamin C and disinfectant. It wouldn’t hurt to have some chicken soup on hand.

Sadly, you should also consider having some body bags

Pandemic preparedness is an activity that can help save your life and keep you healthy during outbreaks. So if you are sitting around with nothing to do or have five extra minutes each day, do some research and stay posted on local and global health events.