Is anyone prepping by buying food that has a long shelf life? I have been messing with it for years. Buying fat free powder milk, bullion cubes, rice, beans dried, and other things that has a shelf life of 25 years. I got on line today and most all the emergency food prep buckets are sold out across the web. I went to my local Walmart today and they were low on some things like powder milk, but most things were still in stock. I know from living in Fla during a hurricane what panic buying is and you wish you had put something back when it was calm. After Irma it was a month or so before the shelves were stocked again and there was no major damage. Things like Peanut butter will last many years. There is a guy called Steven1989 on youtube who opens and eats old military C rations and the like. Many things go rancid like meats ect but peanut butter after 50 years in a sealed can is still very edible. Same thing with honey, Syrup and other things. My brother makes fun of me and asks if I have seen black helicopters but its not a matter of if but when.
Coronavirus / Covid-19 - The canary in the coal mine
by JimmyYoung 25 Replies latest social current
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JimmyYoung
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Phizzy
If Coronavirus takes hold in the U.S then people will panic and buy up all those sort of foodstuffs. Stock up with what you can now !
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Simon
There's probably people stocking up on Avocado toast, things they see as "essentials" ...
But seriously, it's worth having some stock of staple foods with long shelf lives. Rices, beans, tinned foods and water - you won't get chance to stock up when the shelves are empty and people can laugh at "preppers" all they want, but they will be the ones laughing when shortages hit. Even if there are no real reasons for shortages, people often panic so you have to as well or else you end up with nothing.
It might just come down to trying to reduce the number of times you go out and interact with people, to lower the risk, until it's clear what the impact is going to be.
Some people are handwaving things away saying "it's OK, it only kills 2% of people" but that equates to a lot of people and could have a serious impact on normal operations of infrastructure and supply chains.
As well as food, try to get hold of hand-sanitizer and some face masks (at least N95 rated)
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Magnum
I've been thinking about it for years. Consider what otherwise normal, middle-class women will do at Christmas time when there aren't enough of a certain kind of baby doll for everybody. I've seen video of the stampede and fighting to get to the limited number available. If they will do that for a damn Cabbage Patch Kid or Beanie Baby, consider what the population in general will do when the food starts running short.
I have not thought about storing stuff because of the Coronavirus, but I wouldn't laugh at the idea. I read recently the words of an expert who said it could possibly affect 60% of the earth's population.
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Pete Zahut
We live in earthquake country so we keep flats of food out in our garage such as canned vegetables, fruits, tuna, soups, spam, condensed milk, dried beans, rice etc. A lot of food comes in milk carton type containers now and it's good for over a year. Each year when we set the clocks back for Daylight Savings time, we change our stockpile out by putting the stored food into our regular food pantry rotation and replacing it with new stuff.
We have a water purifier and camp stove we use for camping and fuel for the stove stored in a heavy duty container out in a shed that gets chased out each year.
All this might last a couple of weeks but who knows what will happen after that. I suppose in a real long term disaster, anyone who appears not to be starving will be a target for the "have-not's" to prey on but I don't want to go down that road and think about obtaining a weapon.
As well as food, try to get hold of hand-sanitizer and some face masks (at least N95 rated)
Good idea and I was thinking I'd adding pain reliever like Advil and First Aid supplies and a bottle or two of Whisky to my stockpile. It would be good to have extra medications one might use but they'd need to be stored correctly and changed out before they expire.
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Simon
Given that we don't have cures for regular Flu and it appears that this new one can't be contained like SARS was, it seems likely that we'll ultimately need to live with it and it may echo back in future years, just like Spanish Flu.
According to the CDC, the best timeline for an affective immunization treatment may be 18 months at the very least so in the meantime we should focus on best practice of not touching things when you don't have to*, not touching your face afterwards, washing your hands regularly and especially before eating etc... Encourage people to cough into their arm and, new rules, feel free to punch someone out if they stand behind you coughing.
* fun fact, when you use touch kiosks like a McDonalds, you're better going to the one furthest from the door (and washrooms) as they usually have fewer germs on them. Don't use your fingers, touch with your knuckles esp. if you won't be able to wash your hands immediately. Use hand sanitizer when available and / or carry some with you.
The main stream media is, surprise surprise, usually worse than useless for getting accurate and up-to-date information. You can track the reported cases on websites such as:
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/special-focus/covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak-latest-information-news-and-updates/
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Simon
spam
I used this potential emergency as an excuse to buy some, because Angharad thinks it's horrible and never lets me. I'm hoping my memory of spam butties was better than reality probably is. Probably good for a stir-fry though or fritters.
I might even splash out for some corned beef too - then I'll have tins of both "luxury meat" :D
a bottle or two of Whisky
You should have at least two bottles, even for regular day-to-day life.
Now I'm thinking I should start hoarding Guinness ...
Water filter and camping stoves are a good idea, I'm no expert on the utilities grid but they employ people so humans must be involved somewhere to keep things running. Whether it's electricity, water or gas - if people are sick, things might not work.
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Finkelstein
Its always practical to have substances to live off from if there is a environmental calamity such as earthquake, floods, storms etc.
So yes I store nonperishable food items, water, a cooking devise, candles, a first aid kit, backup battery packs for cell phones, a portable generator for home appliances or whatever.
Having some cash stored away too is advisable for if the electricity goes down so does the debit card / credit card buying capability which you may have to have to buy things.
This absolutely has nothing to do with the fear mongering aspects coming from the JWS religion, this is based upon reality of facts and consequences.
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Simon
Worth remembering too - it's important to do what you can to limit spread of any virus because while you may be a healthy young spring chicken, there are those who will be at increased risk: the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Take precautions to help them - carelessness or selfishness can cost lives.
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Simon
I just don't know if we'll have space to bury all the bodies, especially after the millions that already died from repealing Net Neutrality and from WWIII with Iran and all the other causes of imminent doom than the media have foretold over the last few years.
But then I realize we're all going to die from climate bed wetting in 10 years anyway, so let's just party - break out the Coronas!