The current flu situation, even if it proves to not be overly serious, has got me thinking about what pandemic-specific items we already have in the house, and what else might need to be be included. So far I've come up with the following:


* soap
* hand sanitizer
* bleach
* cleaning wipes
* hand lotion
* lip balm
* rehydration salts
* expectorants (i.e. guafenesein)
* pain relievers (i.e. acetaminophen)
* hot water bottle
* extra blankets
* extra sheets
* thermometers
* neti pot (for clearing nasal passages)
* sterile saline solution
* bulb syringe
* tissues
* canned broth
* lemon juice
* honey
* throat lozenges


Any other ideas...?

Bed -how could you forget a place to sleep.

"Dexter", or other show you like, on DVD.

Strong coffee - I find that when sick if I caffeinate myself and force myself awake and to do light exercise I can afterward dive into deep-immersion sleep for 12 hours or more. After that it is up again and just a matter of wash, rinse, repeat until the virus gives up.

If I just lay in bed I end up in a half-awake funk with sleep that is not restful. With sleep, waking and fever all mashing together. Time goes sideways as I dream about being awake, sleep drifts into my wakefulness, and fever fills in the gaps with snapshots from my subconscious garden of delights and horror.

gloves, mask, puke bucket, chamber pot (bed pan?)
A fan might be nice if you need to bring their temperature down.

Aspirin and Acetaminophen help reduce fevers as well as control pain. If they can't take those there are other ones that do that too.

Keep in mind that you should be seeking medical help early with this one. This is not a common cold.

Is aspirin a good thing to take when one has the flu or is thinning the blood counter-productive?

Reducing fevers. . . aren't fevers (higher than normal body temps) a defense mechanism to kill virus'? To a certain point high temps are a good thing. Too high and there are other issues (death), but shouldn't a typical fever associated with the flu be accepted as part of dealing with illness. Reducing temps to that 98.6 figure might not be the best thing when fighting a virus.

Am I mistaken in these thoughts? I never take aspirin or any other meds. Good water, good food and a few vitamins & minerals.

If you have toddlers/infants then pedialyte, or any oral rehydration liquid with electrolytes, maybe gravol to control vomiting.

Yes Russ. You are pretty much right.
Fever is a defense mechanism, but fever is a risk too if it is too high and causes damage to the person as well as to the disease.
So while fever is a symptom up to a point after that point it becomes a complication that has to be dealt with in its own right.

Temperatures above 106 degrees Fahrenheit can result in brain damage and possibly death. That high of a fever is pretty unusual and a very high fever is indeed an emergency situation that needs to be reduced.
Ice packs and cold baths might even be needed.

Up to about 102 or 103 degrees you are likely better to just make sure they have plenty of fluids and let them sweat it out, but above that you need to start worrying about the effect of the fever itself.

I don't know if the blood thinning effect would matter.

If you may be caring for others who are sick, and have to wear protective gear, you might consider materials to create a "decontamination chamber" and a "clean room" where you can let down your guard a little.

Plastic, stapler and duct tape to create a pair of doors. A place to take off dirty clothes and put on clean ones. A shower or at least a tap and spray hose. I like a couple of trigger spray bottles with a drop of dish soap and a dash of bleach to wash down everything from door handles to rubber gloves and shoes.

Inside the clean room, radio, TV, phone, internet, where you can gather information and contact family without upsetting your charges.

Do not discount the physical and psychological value of such a space. You can't help others swim if you're drowning yourself.

P.S., After I got hit with a norovirus a couple of years ago, the only thing I could look at and keep down, as I rose slowly from the almost-dead, was chicken cup-a-soup. Hydration, salts, and a few light calories -- perfect.

Remember that cold packs (reusable ice packs) placed in strategic areas (areas of large blood flow) can and do help to reduce one's temp. One must remember to protect the sites where the cold packs are placed to prevent cold injuries to the skin.

I generally place them under the arms, inside the legs, about the neck and on the breasts. I would also advise staying out of arms reach of the person you are applying them on. I have been on both sides of the ice pack and neither was pleasant. DW darn near changed my voice for me when she last had a high fever.

Careful with the aspirin and young children, I don't remember why but I do remember that it was a problem. (Maybe I cannot remember because mom gave me aspirin as a child???)

Reyes Syndrome. Low probability, but high consequence. Avoid aspirin & aspirin containing products in patients < 18.

I think you're referring to Reye's Syndrome?

Everyone should know how to make and use ORS, and have a supply of ingredients on hand, IMHO. Not necessarily for the current outbreak of flu, but as a basic,potentially lifesaving preparedness item.

See, e.g. http://rehydrate.org/solutions/homemade.htm

You can also buy prepared packets of ORS to mix with water.

Its good for treating dehydration associated with diarrhea, a major killer of children and a primary contributing cause of most deaths in many pandemic diseases.

I consider it one of the preparedness/survival basics.

is Gatorade the same thing?

As I understand it Gatorade is the same, but many critics say it is not. I have seen a lot of the quart sized containers go out the door at the BLM offices where I used to work ambulance. The fire crews swear by it.

In 2003 the World Health Organization and UNICEF doctors decided to update the formula for their recommended Oral Rehydration Salt solution that is given to patients with chronic diarrhea. As I understand the new formula for Gatorade (low sugar) was developed for that reason. Jeff McCann provided a link for O.R.S. although it does mention the old formula, the new formula does not recommend as much sugar. However, the link for O.R.S. does not mention the use of Potassium Chloride (salt substitute) like the W.H.O./UNICEF Formula does. Though you can get potassium from bananas, avocados, and eggs.

For the person who is ill and having trouble getting anything down and staying down (eaten) the recommended dehydration / diarrhea diet is the following. BTW this is the BRATY Diet.

Bananas-Mashed, usually the older the better to mash.
Rice-Brown or a long grain white, not instant, served as a gruel
Applesauce-homemade is best or look for low sugar. Nutrient.
Tea-Green has many known positive health effects aids in reabsorption of fluids.
Yogurt-helps restore the normal stomach flora thus calms the stomach.

Add to your list Benadryl (Antihistamine and sleep aid) ask your doctor before using to aid in sleep, but believe me if you are a care provider and you lose sleep you increase your own risk.

Your pain relief e.g Tylenol, etc. should be in liquid form. This makes it easier to swallow.

Any feverish person who sweats and soaks their sheets and clothes should have a change to dryer clothing/bedding as this will prevent hypothermia. I know this is considered "old school," but I have seen it actually work and it improves a persons comfort, so do bed baths if it comes to that.

REMEMBER: Children <5 and the Elderly are most susceptible to any pandemic.

Usual Warnings and Disclaimers apply to this information. When in doubt check with your physician.

Take care,

STARGAZER

Thanks, I called my Local Board of Physicians (all the doctors I have built houses for in my neighborhood), and asked, they say the lack of memory stems from a misspent youth and 9 concussions (yeah really 9, I raced motorcycles during the misspent youth)

Reyes Syndrome, seems like most folks have had the warning for some time. Just don't here about it any more.

Where have you been hiding??

No. Too much sugar/carbs and electrolytes. But diluted with about 4 parts water, it is passable as a rehydrating drink.

Pulling out of a major health nosedive, but I'm doing better now. Thanks.

For rehydration I prefer Ringer's Lactate solution. It replaces most of the essential electrolytes and reduces acidosis, which can accompany such ilnesses. It's usually given intravenously, but can be ingested easily enough, and doesn't taste bad.

I'd just like to jump in here and thank all the participants in this thread for this information. I'm just now going through the home inventory on a replenishment/replacement mission and these lists are so helpful.

Ah, the neti pot. One of those things that I have picked up and have continued to use daily even many years later, so definitely a very useful thing. Don't forget having enough non-iodized salt for the neti pot or gargling.

Normally, cool/very lukewarm water in the neti pot is typically not desirable since the shock of the cool water actually tends to stuff up my nasal passages, but sometimes when I have a fever, it does feel pleasantly cool and probably does help cool your head temporarily.

Although you do have bleach on the list, a disinfecting spray would be convenient to quickly spray surfaces like door knobs and other items on a regular basis, especially in a sick room. Bleach works but it can damage things so I wouldn't want to rely solely on bleach as my disinfectant.

If you or any family members require prescriptions meds on an ongoing basis and you don't already use a mail-order refill service, you might want to look into that possibility. A pharmacy is probably one of the last places I would want to linger around in during some pandemic with all these other people, some of whom may be sick. Or get acquainted with the call-ahead-and-pick-up service. Some people regularly go to a hospital pharmacy and during some pandemic, I imagine that access to the hospital will be severely restricted, which may mean you are better of finding another pharmacy. Or perhaps get a bigger supply of meds, but as we've discussed in the past, that can be very difficult for most people to obtain, especially when insurance is paying for it.

A couple of small random thoughts:

I got a group e-mail from my DMAT admin. officer a couple of days ago, asking if I spoke Spanish had one of the special government passports. Hmmm. Yesterday, I got one checking on my immune system health. I suspect this is just forward thinking by our local command staff (the best leaders I have ever worked with) rather than a national thing, but I have heard that some anti-virals from the national pharmaceutical stockpile have been partially deployed.

National and international disease surveillance and cooperation seems to be working very well, doesn't it? A benefit from H5N1 "bird flu" preps, I guess, as well as good experience and practice for a really nasty future pandemic to come.

The interaction of public health, national politics, and mass media has been interesting to watch, at least for a public health geek like me.

This strain's emergence comes as a surprise, but it's not a particularly bad one, it seems. Time will tell. It also seems susceptible to current anti-virals.

Stay well. You guys know how already. Personally, I'm screwed, since I'm bound to get repeatedly exposed if it comes my way, an occupational hazard.

I've been using Distilled Vinegar and water (50/50) in a spray bottle as a cleaner for a while now and it works really well. (Be careful using it on tile grout and metalic surfaces) Also, plain ammonia diluted with water works well. And Pine oil (PineSol) is also a good alternative cleaner without the harshness of ammonia or bleach.

With every respect, I'd suggest caution using alternative disinfectants. Some of them will work, especially in high concentrations, but you really have to do your homework with this sort of thing.

If we're talking pandemic virus, people dying all over, it's total war. Bleach in sufficient concentration kills everything. I don't care if it takes the finish off the floor or eats the doorknobs.

HHS fact sheet:

Control of Pandemic Flu Virus on Environmental Surfaces in Homes and Public Places

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/panfacts.html

"This fact sheet explains how cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in homes and public places (like schools) can help to prevent the spread of pandemic influenza (flu). This fact sheet will be updated as needed. ... Clean and disinfect hard surfaces and items in homes and schools ... If disinfectants are not available, use a chlorine bleach solution made by adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to a quart (4 cups) of water; use a cloth to apply this to surfaces and let stand for 3 – 5 minutes before rinsing with clean water. (For a larger supply of disinfectant, add ¼ cup of bleach to a gallon [16 cups] of water.)" ...

Let's be careful to distinguish between "cleaning" and "disinfecting". I use vinegar in a spray bottle myself to help cut soap film or hard water deposits around the bathroom fixtures and for that purpose, it seems to work reasonably well, but I'm using it for cleaning. Disinfecting or sanitizing follows cleaning and is not the same thing.

Vinegar may be moderately good as a bactericide, but I don't think it works so well at killing/destroying viruses, which is what we want if H1N1 is going around.

To be sure of doing a good job, I would use a commercial product that is EPA approved as a virucide for influenza. Or a homemade bleach solution like the one Jeff linked to. And make sure to keep the surface wet long enough to let it do its job. However, I will not be hiring Doug as my maid since every carpet will be bleached, every wooden floor rotted through, and every door knob horribly corroded in my house!

Edit: I was Googling some more just now and I do see some mention that vinegar works on viruses, but no specifics. For now, I can only assume that an EPA approved virucide works better than vinegar. Anyway, so it depends on how much protection you need.

Edit #2: I did just read one scientific article comparing commercial disinfectants along with vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar did better than I thought on some bacteria, but it was hit or miss. It didn't work against E coli or S aureas which are some of the heavyweight bacteria that we would want to get rid of. Didn't seem particularly effective against at least the polio virus used in this experiment, but neither were many of the commercial disinfectants. However, the EPA certifies products as a virucide separately from their bacteria-killing ability, so those products may not even claim to kill viruses. Anyway, if I had someone sick with what seemed to be the flu in my house, I would go for the commercial virucide or a bleach solution.

On all disinfectants READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!! One we use here (the wipes) says the surface must stay damp for 4 min. to be effective.

That is a lot of wipes!

Also ensure you are not mixing cleaning/disinfecting agents that could create any off gassing. Mix the right cocktail and you get a nice dose of chlorine gas.

LOL! That would be wise. According to DW I am barely housebroken as it is. :-)

Anyway, I didn't mean to jump all over you; no offense intended. Good explanation of cleaning vs. disinfecting in your post. You're exactly right

To provide a bit of context, I've been engaged in trench warfare with deer mice in and around my place. Hantavirus is a definite risk (there have been fatalities around here). So I go kinda ballistic when some folks I know break out the 5% vinegar and incense, no respiratory protection, and pooh-pooh my annoying little rant (which I can back up with documented fact -- argh!)

'Nuff from me. On with the discussion!

Aspirin should be avoided by adults and children when they have any viral infection. Reye's Syndrome occurs in adults too, and can be fatal. Whether the low-dose 81 mg./day aspirin taken by many over 50 or those with a history of heart/vascular disease should stop it when ill with a viral infection is an open question. I suspect the higher doses needed to otherwise treat fevers and pain are the problem.

The only reason to treat fevers in the 102-104 degree range is patient comfort. We can run temps. that high for days without evidence of harm. Treating the fevers is ok, but there is clear evidence that it significantly prolongs the duration of viral shedding.

A very cheap, relatively tasty, and almost always available rehydration solution is: Gatorade-1 qt. + Water-1 qt. + 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix and sip: 1-2 tsp. every 5 minutes.

Some of the people with the "Swine" flu are having vomiting and diarrhea. Keep some Immodium and/or Pepto-Bismol in your kits.

stocking up on bulk foods...

Thanks for your helpful thoughts, everyone.

I agree that it's very important to use disinfectants judiciously, especially since mixing some may cause an adverse chemical reaction (or at the very least, ruin various household surfaces.)

Another thing might be to have the phone number of your local doctor/clinic/hospital handy, so you can call ahead if you or someone in your family gets seriously ill. That way, there would be less of a chance that others would become infected via the waiting room, etc.

Excellent info you guys, thanks. Just for the record, I have no problem with bleach (use it all the time).

Be careful with bleach. It is easy to end up with serious concentrations of chlorine/chloramine gas. When your nose is working the smell would warn you and you can escape the area and ventilate befor eany real dmamge is done.

When the nose is stuffed up and the sense of smell dulled by flu your first warning may be when you start to wheeze. Unfortunately by then a lot of damage could be done. Adding chemical pneumonia on top of flu is a lousy way of getting better faster.

So use bleach heavily diluted and with great care if you chose to use it at all. According to my local health expert bleach is, in most cases, overkill for normal use. Simple soap and water is as effective for most household cleaning unless there is a reasonable expectation that hepatitis, HIV or tuberculosis are present.

Other items that might be helpful -- extra toilet paper and adult diapers.

There have been multiple references to severe diarrhea with this illness, even though it's not classified as a gastrointenstinal virus (ie norovirus). Having worked in developing countries, this is a concern of mine, as it's one of the main reasons people fall victim to dehydration.

Also note: anti-diarrhea medications are not a good idea, as they might stop up harmful bacteria in the body that might otherwise be flushed out.

Humor is good.

It strengthens the immune system and helps to keep things in perspective.

http://scienceblogs.com/worldsfair/2009/04/millions_and_millions_dead.php