(#177)
If a pandemic does occur, one thing is probably certain: Most of us will have to deal with the sickness in our homes.
Hospitals will fill up quickly, and few of us will likely find a bed available if we need one. It isn’t a happy thought, but it’s one we have to consider.
Morbidity rates (% of population affected) are assumed to run from 30% to 60%. H5N1 is a novel virus, and few of us will have any natural immunity. It is hard to imagine that many households will escape unscathed. At some point, many of us will have to deal with the illness ourselves, or that of a family member.
The problem here is, once one person in the household gets it, it has the real potential to spread among the occupants. Three or five days later, you, or another household member may fall ill.
Setting up a sick room, and maintaining as good of isolation practices as possible, may help reduce this risk. Having latex gloves on hand, and masks, may help protect the caregiver. Frequent hand washing, and the use of alcohol gel sanitizers, are another precaution. You obviously want to separate a sick person from the rest of the family, and limit direct exposure.
Along those lines, I’ve designed an experimental, and completely theoretical home isolation unit. The plans can be found in the library section of
PlanForPandemic. It can be found at:
http://planforpandemic.com/viewtopic.php?t=692
This is just one of the many practical solutions that can be found on this site. PFP is free, and devoid of much of the hysteria that some other flu sites promote. I highly encourage people to look around, and consider joining. Two other sites that deserve your consideration are Fluwiki and Flutrackers.
As far as direct medical care is concerned, for most people, getting a copy of Dr. Woodson’s pandemic guide is highly recommended. It is a free download in .pdf format, and can be found on the web. The url for this guide is:
http://tinyurl.com/s8xa9
Unless some miracle occurs, and we find an antiviral or develop a vaccine, home (and hospital) care will be mostly palliative. Treating the symptoms of fever and dehydration, along with basic nursing care. While this may not seem like much, it will make the difference between life and death for many patients.
The virus will claim a given number of lives, regardless of the care provided. But many more could die if not receiving the benefit of basic care. It’s a grim reality, but it’s the one we are facing.
Before a pandemic strikes, you need to get the basic items you will need. The ingredients to make your own rehydration fluids, fever reducers, expectorants, and masks and gloves. You need to be thinking of how you will isolate sick family members, and who will care for them.
You need to also consider how to deal with biohazardous materials. Infected sheets, clothes, masks, gloves, and human waste.
While we will all be limited in what we can do for the ill, the greater tragedy would be if we let people die needlessly.
Related Post:
Widget by [ Iptek-4u ]