THE EPIDEMIC ARRIVES

The going has just gotten rough. It’s no longer just nurses and other health‑care workers getting Ebola–it’s the corner grocer, your neighbor down the street, and your buddy at work. The epidemic is ramping up into high gear, and you’re smack dab in the middle of it. Your alert level is now HIGH. What do you do?

The strategy in this setting is known as “social distancing.” Social distancing is a term applied to certain actions taken to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease. It’s an important step to keeping your family healthy.

When there are people down the block who are sick, you know that the virus may be anywhere. The virus is still primarily transmitted by bodily fluids, so you don’t necessarily have to hide behind a tree whenever you see another human being. You do, however, have to create a distance between yourself and the next person.

Avoid shaking hands with or hugging acquaintances. Stop receiving visitors at your home. Seriously consider whether your kids should go to school or whether you should go to that crowded office where you work. Poker night becomes a thing of the past. No political rallies or movie nights. Many people in Asia socially distance themselves when sick or when an epidemic is raging in the area. You’ve probably seen images of an Asian city street with a number of people wearing masks. It may appear silly to you, but it’s a sign of social responsibility to them, and they’re right. You never know which contact could pass the virus to you and then to your family.

At this point, you’ll take out those items for your sick room and get it equipped. When someone is sick with Ebola, they could easily collapse in your kitchen. You don’t want them in your common areas, but there they’ll stay until you have the sick room with the plastic sheeting up and running. If someone becomes ill, you can transport them straight to the sick room if you already have it set up.

Stock up. While the stores still have food, get enough to last you a good long while. Concentrate on nonperishables and stockpile water supplies. Get equipment that would allow you to make fires for cooking and disposing of hazardous waste. If your area gets quarantined, you might have to depend on what you have on hand.

Other helpful items to have on hand include:

• Firestarters, candles, matches, lighters

• Propane fuel for cooking

• Flashlight or other light source and batteries

• Hand‑crank radio

• Axe and knife

• First aid kit

Hit the road, Jack. There may come a time when your healthy family is surrounded by victims of the epidemic. You might just have a vacation home in a remote area or a favorite camping spot that no one else knows about. This is a serious decision, but it may be an option in dire times.

While you can still get fuel, keep your vehicle’s gas tank filled to the top. You can get a good distance away if you have a place to go. Prepare “go bags” packed with changes of clothes, toiletries, and individually packaged nonperishable food and bottles of water in case evacuation becomes imminent.

If you’re heading for the woods, you’ll need a tent, sleeping bags, tarps, and other necessities for a reasonable shelter. Outdoor clothing and a good set of boots are a must, as well. A good compass is never a bad idea, as well as whistles for everyone in case you get separated.

NOW YOU KNOW…

Frequent hand washing is the best way to avoid getting sick from many infectious diseases, including Ebola. Keep your hands off your face to decrease the risk of disease. Planning a sick room will keep you prepared if an epidemic breaks out in your area. Social distancing is a strategy that will decrease your number of contacts and your chance of contracting contagious diseases. Having stockpiles of food, water, gas, and other items will keep you going if everything else fails. Tough decisions, such as whether to stay where you are or risk travel to other areas, are part and parcel of epidemic scenarios.