Some experts predict that within the next 50 years, we’ll see as many as 5 pandemics similar to COVID-19 or worse. There are many who paint a much more dreary picture with as many as 15 pandemics in the next 50 years.
No matter the number, one thing is clear:
Our world was completely and hilariously unprepared for something that experts have been warning about for years.
So, how should we as a people look to prepare for the next big 100,000+ people killing pandemic?
Pre-prepare
There are steps we can take as individuals to pre-prepare for the next big pandemic:
- Supplement: Hulk Hogan told a generate of kids to take their vitamins yet so many have no idea what vitamins to take. If you want to stay healthy then the bare minimum would be a probiotic, electrolytes, B12, C and D. Stock up and make them a part of your morning routine.
- Exercise: I know, I DON’T WANNA! But honestly, even a moderate amount of exercise can make your immune system considerably stronger. Walk, jog, lift moderate weight, or do core exercises while you watch TV. Start there and you’ll feel better. I guarantee you’ll start to develop a craving for it.
- Eat Better: A proper diet is key to a healthy lifestyle. That doesn’t mean you can’t indulge, but indulge only as a reward. Just remember, the core requirements: proteins, vegetables, some fruit and plenty of water. Seriously, that’s it. Oh, and cut out sugar as much as possible. Play the 80/20 game. Eat these requirements 80% of the time and indulge 20% of the time.
- Create a Family Kit: We all know that masks, hand sanitizer and keeping our distance can be effective. These preparedness techniques worked just as well in 1918 as they do in 2020. Create a kit that covers all of these bases. But how do you kit social distancing? It’s actually simple. Have your home prepared with activities, canned goods, toiletries (*cough* toilet paper apocalypse of 2020), frozen foods and all you need to pass time while everyone else is clamouring for them at stores and risking their lives.
Prepare
When news comes down of a new virus that is spreading rapidly (and after COVID-19 there will be plenty of coverage), there are a few awesome steps to take:
- Get out the Kit: Sure, some smaller minded people might make fun of you for wearing a mask and keeping your distance but, small minded people tend to die at the beginning of disaster movies. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Stay Informed: Subscribe to a Google feed regarding news of the possible pandemic. Don’t let only a few cases at home trick you into thinking you’re safe.
- Start Reorganizing Your Life: Just to be safe, start planning as though there is a pandemic. Change your routines and habits to minimize exposure.
- Contact Local Government: Start sending emails to make sure the government takes this seriously as quickly as possible. I believe firmly that the second a new virus is confirmed, international travel should be stopped but unfortunately, the world doesn’t like that idea so protect you and your family, and be the smart people on the block that are proactive.
Accept
I believe a large piece of the puzzle is to accept what is happening and be as proactive as possible.
A lot of our problems with COVID-19 came from people not believing such a crazy chain of events could happen to us because we are the West, and we are invincible!
What a crock of shit.
We are human and we need to take care of each other. Pre-prepare, prepare, and then accept; in particular accept that if you’re sick you need to seek out medical assistance. Don’t temp fate like you’re Odin Son. You don’t have superpowers. So that probably means no unnecessary interactions with people.
Get Over Yourself
Oh, the deniers and the “Freedom Seekers”. Jesus, what a waste of time. Get over yourself and your own personal bullshit.
You have to spend more time at home? Boo-fucking-hoo. You can’t eat at restaurants? I guess it’s time for a new skill called cooking for yourself. It’s hard to breathe in that mask? Good thing you didn’t pursue a career that has anything to do with medicine because those MFers wear masks for days on end.
I get it, you Googled some shit and some random guy you’ve never heard of spoke over some scary music and now you know more than all the experts. Read that again, how stupid to you sound?
But hey, if you’re so confident that all bad things that happen in this world are fake then please, be our guest, to prove it. Put your money where your mouth is and make proper use of your time by volunteering on the front lines of care.
What Our Governments Could Do
Here is a small list of things I’d like to see our world governments implement:
- Shut it down: Money is an invention of man. The stock market is an invention of man. The economy is an invention of man. So why do we let mankind suffer during an economic shutdown? It’s ludicrous that we even call what the world’s governments did a shut down. No. It was a half measure. A true shut down means a true stoppage of money in and out. This way no one is worried about where the money will come from, government subsidies would be minimal and you won’t have people killing themselves over the hardships they face as a result of a pandemic.
- Educate the People: Help us understand what measures need to be taken and why. Remind people that these measures will change based on what the smartest people in the world working on the virus learn.
- Admit Capitalism Doesn’t Work: We need a better system than capitalism. COVID-19 revealed how weak it is. When the vast majority of your population are fucked because of a virus that could hit at any time, that’s not a system … that’s a travesty. There are plenty of better systems out there. Here’s one out of Spain.
- Start Pushing a Healthy Agenda: It’s time to tell McDonald’s to get it together or GTFO. It’s time to force health requirements on insurance plans (nothing major, just a healthier lifestyle). It’s time we stop acting like obesity is okay. It’s time we start thinking about our health as a priority rather than something we think about once or twice per year. A healthier society has endless benefits: less health costs, happier Nations, more productive workforce, clearer heads, less stress and anxiety, etc.
