The Ultimate Coronavirus Survival Manual

From the best-selling authors of OutbreakManual.com

THE ULTIMATE

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

SURVIVAL MANUAL

March 2020 Edition

A Lifesaving Companion to Preparing for and Surviving the Deadly Global Contagion for You and Your Family

Contents 1 A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION ................................... 1 1.1. Brief information about COVID-19 ...................................... 2 1.2. Introduction to Pandemics ................................................. 5 1.3. COVID-19 and Pandemic Risk .......................................... 8 1.4. Phases of a Pandemic ..................................................... 10 1.5. Impact of a Pandemic—to You and Your Community ....... 12 1.6. F.A.Q ................................................................................ 13

2 PREVENTION AND PREPARATION ...............................21 2.1. How Does the Virus Spread Exactly? .............................. 21 2.2. How to Minimize the Virus Transmission ......................... 22 2.1.1. Wash Your Hands Frequently and Thoroughly ....... 23 2.1.2. Use Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer When Water and Soap Aren’t Available ..................................... 24 2.1.3. Keep Your Distance and Avoid Crowds .................. 24 2.1.4. Cover Your Mouth and Encourage Others to Do the Same ................................................................... 26 2.1.5. Keep All Surfaces Clean and Be Cautious with Things That Belong to Other People ............................... 26 2.1.6. Stay Safe at Work ................................................... 27 2.1.7. Steer Clear From the Public Transport .................... 28 2.1.8. Avoid Using Public Toilets ...................................... 29 2.1.9. Avoid Eating at Restaurants ................................... 30 2.1.10. Wash Your Clothes ................................................ 31 2.3. Plan and Act Before the Worst Happens ......................... 31 2.4. Stockpile for Home .......................................................... 33 2.5. Questionnaire for the Preparation .................................... 36

3 LIFE AND DEATH DURING THE OUTBREAK ................38 3.1. Routine Services Will Be Disrupted ................................. 38 3.2. Pandemic Scenarios ....................................................... 39 3.2.1. The Low Severity Scenario .................................... 39 3.2.2. The Medium Severity Scenario ............................. 41 3.2.3. The High Severity Scenario ................................... 42 3.3. Groceries, Cooking and Food Storing ............................ 43 3.4. Recognizing Symptoms of Distress During a Pandemic ................................................................. 47 3.5. Disposal of Waste ............................................................ 48 3.6. Dealing With Death During the Outbreak ........................ 50 3.7. How to Defend Against Looting and Banditry ................... 52

4 TREATMENT DURING THE OUTBREAK .......................56 4.1. Taking Care of Your Body and Mind During the Outbreak 56 4.2. Medical Management of COVID-19 at Home .................. 57 4.3. Seeking Medical Help ..................................................... 58 4.4. Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medications ............................. 60 4.5. How to Relieve Specific COVID-19 Symptoms in Adults ................................................................ 61 4.6. How to Relieve Specific COVID-19 Symptoms in Children ............................................................ 62 4.7. Diet Recommendations and Treating Diarrhea ................ 63 4.8. How to Set Up a Quarantine Room ................................. 64

5 COMMUNICATION DURING THE OUTBREAK ..............70 5.1. Volunteering ..................................................................... 70 5.2. Pre-Pandemic Communication ........................................ 70 5.3. Alternative Methods of Communication ........................... 72

6 CONCLUSION ................................................................. 74 7 GLOSSARY .....................................................................75 8 REFERENCES ................................................................78

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1

A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION We created The Ultimate Coronavirus Outbreak Survival Manual to help you prepare for the global COVID-19 outbreak.

We base this manual on the precautionary principle—it is better to overprepare for a life-threatening event than to risk your own and your family’s existence by not doing enough. The first thing you must realize is that, at this point, the government’s priorities are different from yours and your family’s. Don’t expect the government, CDC, or your physician to tell you what’s going to happen next, or what to do if things go far south. During crises such as this, one of the main goals of the powers that be is to prevent public panic, which may result in bank runs, panic buying, and breakdown of law and order. That’s why the government and its agencies will always downplay the actual risk up until it’s already too late for you to take meaningful action. All of this makes perfect sense at the national crisis management level, but it doesn’t help you or your loved ones personally. You won’t have much time to prepare before the moment comes that you need to stay in your home for weeks or, perhaps, even months. The worst thing you can do is hope you’ll

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK SURVIVAL MANUAL

have enough time to rush to the store to get the necessary supplies. That’s why to survive and stay healthy, you need to rely on yourself – keep yourself informed (while separating relevant information from the noise), prepare mentally, and take quick, proactive measures. Read on and learn how you and people around you can be better prepared to survive this deadly global virus outbreak. You will be glad you did.

1.1. Brief information about COVID-19 Naming COVID-19—previously known as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”—is the official name of the new disease. SARS-CoV-2, or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (informally called “coronavirus” or “novel coronavirus”), causes COVID-19. Symptoms For COVID-19 symptomatic cases, reported illnesses range from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Asymptomatic cases (the virus infection with no apparent signs of the illness) with transmission exist, and they are more common than it was previously thought. COVID-19 typically causes flu-like symptoms, including a fever and cough. In some patients–especially the elderly and peo2

A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION

ple with chronic medical conditions–the symptoms can develop into pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest tightness, and chest pain. Symptomatic COVID-19 cases often start with a fever, followed by a dry cough. In about one week, the disease can lead to shortness of breath, with 1 out of 5 patients requiring treatment at a hospital, and often in ICU. COVID-19 seems to rarely cause a runny nose, sneezing, or sore throat as these symptoms have been observed in only about 5% of patients. COVID-19 symptoms can include: % Muscle ache and fatigue

% Fever % Cough (more commonly – dry, productive is also possible)

% Abdominal pain % Diarrhea

% Headache

% Nausea

% Shortness of breath

% Appetite loss

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. The typical way COVID-19 symptoms progress among patients:  % Day 1: Patients run a fever. They may also experience fatigue, muscle pain, and a dry cough. A small minority of them may have had diarrhea or nausea one to two days before. 3

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK SURVIVAL MANUAL

% Day 5: Patients may have shortness of breath — especially if they are older or have a preexisting medical condition. % Day 7: This is how long it takes, on average, before patients are hospitalized. % Day 8: At this point, patients with severe cases develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an illness that occurs when fluid builds up the lungs. ARDS is often fatal. % Day 10: If patients have worsening symptoms, this is the time in the disease’s progression when they’re most likely to be admitted to the ICU. These patients probably have more abdominal pain and appetite loss than patients with milder cases. % Day 17: On average, people who recover from COVID-19 are discharged from the hospital after twoand-a-half weeks. As per medical data, about 80% of people with COVID-19 suffer from relatively mild cases and can recover at home. 15% of COVID-19 cases are severe, resulting in pneumonia and shortness of breath. 5% of cases are critical and are known to include respiratory failure, septic shock, and multi-organ failure. At the moment, the case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 is estimated to be within the range of 2-2.3%. Diagnosis Whenever you (or someone you know) experience some of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your local 4

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PREVENTION AND PREPARATION

2.4. Stockpile for Home Non-perishable food is crucially important because, during a severe virus outbreak, you might not have access to refrigeration. You should have enough non-perishable food and water for each family member for at least 1 to 3 months. You’ll also need other necessities that you can use to survive without electricity, pharmacies and stores. Here is what you will need: Foods You should purchase canned meats, such as seafood, poultry, and dehydrated meats. It is important to have a good source of protein to consume during a pandemic. Grass-fed meats are the best ones to buy. You should also stock canned tuna, mackerel, sardines, and salmon, which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. It is not a bad idea to purchase hot dogs, smoked salmon and sausages for your refrigerator as well. Some other foods to have in your stock would include: % Dehydrated eggs, powdered milk, and whey protein. % Wax-encased hard cheeses. (Wax stops bacteria and mold from growing on the cheese. It also reduces moisture exposure in order to keep the cheese fresh for a longer time.) % Green tea / coffee (boosts cognitive function and alertness) % Dark chocolate / Nuts / Candy Bars as a morale-boosting option 33

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK SURVIVAL MANUAL

% Sugar / Salt (For food preservation) % Materials for oral rehydration solution (e.g., salt, instant baby rice cereal) % Baby formula or any other special foods needed % At least 1 month supply of bottled drinking water (1 to 2 gallons per day for each person) % Store pet food (one-month supply) Non-Food Items Your emergency kit should include non-food items as well. Some of which could be the following: % First-aid kit that includes: $

Tourniquet

$

Pressure dressing

$

Z-fold gauze

$

Coban roll

$

Trauma shears

$

Chest seals

$

Tweezers

$

Irrigation syringe

$

Vaseline

$

Silk medical tape roll

$

Needle & thread

$

Moleskin

$

Rolled gauze 34

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3

LIFE AND DEATH DURING THE OUTBREAK 3.1. Routine Services Will Be Disrupted

You cannot expect routine services to be available during a severe pandemic. You will have a hard time withdrawing cash from local ATMs and banks. All of your local government offices, schools, post offices, TV stations, cable providers, electric companies, internet companies, radio stations, businesses, and stores will be closed or limited in their services and products. Communication and Transport Disruption Gas stations will be out of fuel. There won’t be any or very little public transportation available. Instead, a quarantine or even a strict curfew will be applied to your area. Information about the outbreak will be limited and often inaccurate due to the rapidly changing situation and the sheer number of infected people. The lines of communication, such as access to the internet, may be disrupted as well. Impact on Mental Health People will become isolated with all the restrictions and limited services in their communities. Some of your friends and family

LIFE AND DEATH DURING THE OUTBREAK

members will likely become severely ill. If they pass away, it will be very hard on you mentally. As more time passes, you’ll experience more fear and anxiety over the situation. Everyone in your community will be on their own, and this will put an additional mental strain on you. Therefore, self-preservation is the ability you need to master quickly. However, there will be people—pregnant women, senior citizens, and children— who are unable to care for themselves. It will be your duty to help them the best way you can.

3.2. Pandemic Scenarios A pandemic can impact society in a number of different ways based on its severity. We have outlined three different realistic scenarios that can help you to prepare for the future that, hopefully, never comes. 3.2.1. The Low Severity Scenario The best way to avoid a viral infection is to stay away from the people and objects that have the virus. Of course, this is more difficult than it sounds unless you stay in your home throughout the entire pandemic. In that case, it is a low severity scenario. However, it is a little more complicated for people who live in apartment buildings, flats, terrace houses, or semi-detached houses. Think about the population and airflow of these environments. For example, the ventilation system of an apartment building links all the units together in terms of airflow. In other words, air circulates throughout all the units of the apartment 39

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CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK SURVIVAL MANUAL

Children % Chronically ill child % Breathing pattern change % Highly irritable % Severe dehydration symptoms % Difficulty breathing % Pale skin % Blue lips % The fontanel on top of the child’s head appears sunken or full % Seems to be confused % Inability to move % Seizures

4.4. Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medications Your over-the-counter medication should only treat 1 symptom and have 1 active ingredient. This will reduce the chance of having an adverse reaction to the medication. Also, don’t take any other medications if they don’t have any effect on your symptoms. If you are taking multiple medications, make sure they don’t have the same active ingredient in them. If they do, then you don’t need to take both of them. Experiment with a standard strength medication and see how well that works for you. If it doesn’t do much, then upgrade to extra strength and see how that goes. 60

TREATMENT DURING THE OUTBREAK

You should always follow the instructions of your medication as described on its label. Please be aware of the possible side effects of taking the medication and the medications you’re not supposed to take with it. Don’t take medications that are past their expiration dates. If you must throw them out, take them to a pharmacy for proper disposal instead. Never let children have access to any of your medications.

4.5. How to Relieve Specific COVID-19 Symptoms in Adults Important! At all times seek professional medical assistance! Solutions to relieve COVID-19 symptoms do not treat the disease. Pneumonia is an inflammatory disorder of the lungs caused by an infection of the airways. It is a serious condition, and home remedies cannot be used to treat it. However, they can help ease the symptoms. Fever and Muscle Pain Take Tylenol or any other acetaminophen-based medication. Only take it for a short-term basis because it can negatively affect the kidneys and liver if taken too long. Ibuprofen can be taken as an alternative. Shortness of Breath and Dry Cough You can relieve a dry cough by taking dextromethorphan. 61

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