When a deadly virus comes to your area, you might not have much choice but to quarantine yourself. This might come in the form of a self-imposed quarantine or a forced quarantine, under the penalty of arrest from your government. Either way, there are thoughts and considerations that every preparedness-minded person or family should think through before the need to start prepping for quarantine.
In the Preparedness Community, we often discuss pandemics, but we rarely consider what happens during a quarantine. This is apparent in the number of articles one finds on Prepper Website. The keyword “pandemic” contains many articles, two pages worth. But the word “quarantine” only has five, not including this one.
Why Should We Consider What Happens During a Quarantine?
As the Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across China, the government has locked down many cities and imposed a quarantine on its citizens. These citizens, especially those in Wuhan, a city bigger than New York City with 11 million inhabitants, didn’t get a warning. They didn’t get the heads up to order supplies from Amazon or Alibaba or even make a run to the grocery store. The quarantine was quickly imposed.
One New York Times article, written January 24, 2020, quotes a representative from the World Health Organization in Beijing, that this virus outbreak could last months.
Dr. Gauden Galea, the representative of the World Health Organization in Beijing, said in an interview on Friday that while much was uncertain, health officials were preparing for an outbreak that could last for months. He said that eventually thousands of people would most likely be infected, citing models produced by public health experts.
“My own office is gearing up for a number of months,” Dr. Galea said. “We do not expect it to disappear in a number of days.”
He said much would depend on the patterns of infection over the holiday travel season. He said there was little precedent for the travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities but that public health experts were hopeful that they could help contain the virus, along with efforts to expand screening, promote the use of masks and isolate sick patients.
SOURCE
Preparedness-minded folk might want to make sure that they don’t get caught having to quarantine without the needed supplies and considerations for months on end.
Food and Supply Considerations
How often do you go to the store for groceries and supplies? I might be addressing the choir right now, but there are still people out there that don’t have more than 2 weeks worth of groceries and supplies. Two weeks won’t be enough if your quarantine lasts “months.”
Stocking up on food isn’t that difficult. But how often do you stock up on laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and toilet paper? We don’t always consider these hygiene items. If you are stuck in your home for months, you are still going to wash clothes, take a shower, brush your teeth and use the restroom. You don’t want to go out for these items or go without if you don’t have to!
Take the FREE Online Course – Three Easy Ways to Get Started in Long Term Food Storage
Staying Informed
Imagine being locked up in your home with a crazy virus infecting people out in the wild. You know that you will want to stay informed about what is going on. Many self-reliant minded don’t trust the mainstream media to share out the full truth of what is going on. It will be up to you to find alternative news sources to keep up-to-date on the spread of the virus and how others are responding to the quarantine.
One way that many stay informed is by reading alternative news articles. Prepper Website has made it very easy for preppers to find a ton of articles in one place over at the Alt. News Hub. Another way where you can get a lot of information is Twitter. On Twitter, you can follow news organizations, mainstream, and alternative to see the articles that they are sharing from their websites. You can also search for specific keywords and even hashtags to follow what individuals are saying about these topics.
Lastly, if things really go sideways and the internet goes down, those who have access to a HAM radio can still get information during a quarantine. There are HAM radios that are not very expensive and can run on batteries. One popular HAM radio among preppers are those made by BaoFung. One word of caution – You need a HAM radio license to broadcast from a HAM radio during normal times. However, being in quarantine due to a pandemic would probably constitute a time when anyone without a license could broadcast.
Establishing Routines and Procedures During Quarantine
The first few days of a quarantine might feel like a snow day for most. Kids will be happy to not be in school and adults might like the idea of sleeping in. But soon afterward, the kids will start to annoy each other and the stress of being inside and what is “out there” will get to everyone. It will be smart to set up routines and procedures for everyone in your family, or even if you are a single person living alone.
Routines While in Quarantine: Morning Procedures
A morning routine should be established to make sure everyone is sleeping and getting up at the same time so noise isn’t being made during the late hours and keeping family members from getting a good night’s sleep and in turn, staying healthy. The only caveat to this idea would be if someone needed to stay up to protect the home and alert everyone if bad actors were trying to break into the home.
A morning routine might consist of everyone getting up at a designated time, washing up or taking showers, the family having breakfast together, and chores being done. But the morning shouldn’t be the only time of the day that should be scheduled.
Routines While in Quarantine: Learning and Studying
The household that finds itself having to quarantine might also want to schedule a time of learning and studying, especially if there are school-aged kids in the home. This is easier if utilities and the internet is up, which should be the case unless things really go sideways! But self-reliant parents might still want to have plenty of books, paper, pencils, and other school type supplies on hand. But times of learning and studying shouldn’t be for kids, adults can and should use their quarantine time wisely by studying a topic or topics of interest. Many preppers have plenty of books that can help in this regard. And if not, there are many free Amazon Kindle books available every day that would apply to a preparedness-minded individual.
Routines While in Quarantine: Family Entertainment Time
Like it was mentioned before, being in quarantine will be stressful. Another time that should be scheduled is family entertainment time. The purpose of this is to spend time together in a fun and light way so that positive family relationships can be maintained. A good supply of playing cards, other card games, like Uno and Phase 10, and board games will be worth their weight in gold.
Routines While in Quarantine: Exercise
There will be a lot of sitting and laying around during a quarantine. Families might want to take some time to set up an exercise program. An exercise program doesn’t have to include a lot of expensive equipment. A program that helps to strengthen your core and keep the blood flowing could consist of doing jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, running in place, and a variety of stretches.
Routines While in Quarantine: Quiet Time
Families might also want to institute a time for quiet during their quarantine. Quiet time would be a time that everyone goes to their own special spot and doesn’t make any noise. This would allow those who need quiet to read a good book, pray or read their Bible. Some might even want to take a nap. There are many different types of personalities out there and some people do need quiet to recharge and stay in a good place. This shouldn’t be neglected.
Routines While in Quarantine: Free Time
Lastly, some time should be devoted to everyone’s schedule to have free time to do whatever they would like to do in the confines of the quarantine space. Free time is necessary to allow individuals to explore and pursue the things that bring them happiness, which would be necessary in an extended time of stress and anxiety.
Routines While in Quarantine: Cooking and Eating
This article has already mentioned the importance of food. But food will need to be cooked, eaten and then there is the clean-up. Every family has a procedure around this, but during a quarantine, there might be a need for others to chip in and clean-up or take turns cooking. This is also a good time to teach other adults or kids the skill of scratch cooking.
When Someone Needs to Leave the Quarantine
There might be a time when someone in quarantine needs to leave the premises and go out “in the wild.” In this case, there should be a decontamination area setup where individuals who return can strip their clothes off, leave them behind and sanitize any parts of their exposed body that could bring in the virus.
The Hit to Your Finances
Another area that is not usually thought of would be the loss of income for those who have to be quarantined. Many companies will not be producing and selling due to the virus. As a result, they won’t be able to pay their workers, even those who can work from home. What will happen to most Americans, who don’t even have $400 in savings, pay their bills? This is another reason why you should pay down your debt and have an emergency fund.
If Things Really Go Sideways
If the virus causing the quarantine doesn’t burnout, then things could go from bad to worse. For example, people who run critical infrastructure might not report to work. Police officers, medical workers, utility engineers, and others might decide that it is too risky to be out and instead choose to stay at home and protect their families.
This was the basis for a docudrama called After Armageddon. The docudrama follows a father, a medical professional, and his family as society breaks down. This is a scary possibility and one that many don’t want to think about.
If this unlikely scenario was to play out, considerations for SHTF, while dealing with a deadly virus in the wild, will need to be planned for. For example, if utility workers are not going to work, then water, waste treatment, and electrical plants will stop working. Modern society will come to a standstill in a most trying period. During this time, violence, uncertainty, and fear will rule and those who care about their families will need to provide a defense.
Further Reading: WAPI – What Is It and Why Do You Need One
The Time to Prepare is Now
A pandemic has to get really bad for a quarantine that causes you to stay home and shelter in place to go into effect. But if it ever happens, you won’t get a lot of time to prepare. Just look at what happened in Wuhan, China. The quarantine and lockdown instituted by the government happened fast. That is why you need to be prepared with food, water, meds and all the other things you might need. Most of these items are consumable anyway and will be used if you choose to use a first-in, first-out (FIFO) method to your supplies.
What we see happening in China during the Coronavirus is scary. This is playing out right in front of our eyes. It should cause everyone to stop and think through their preparedness plans, including pandemic preparedness. Right now, you have time to prepare. That is a blessing that others haven’t had.
Peace,
Todd
How are people going to pay their mortgages if quarantined for months? This bio weapon is meant for America. Our own government has been trying to kill us for decades using food and pharmaceuticals, both of which are bioweapons and engineered contrary to good health. See Deagel.com for USA demographics in 2025. Click on “countries” link at bottom of home page. We are earmarked for genocide, especially us white people.
I didn’t find anything after searching Maybe you should provide a direct link to this claim?
Peace,
Todd
Hi Todd, here are the links:
http://www.deagel.com/country/forecast.aspx
http://www.deagel.com/country/United-States-of-America_c0001.aspx
I hope this helps.
I’d strongly recommend that if you are not licensed, you do not transmit on HAM radio just because you are in quarantine. You need to wait until the situation is WROL, and even then, you learn more by listening, which is what you are trying to do, right?
If you are old enough to remember telephone party-lines, HAM’s are going to be plenty busy relaying info and sending messages to and from non-HAMS and aren’t going to be happy having someone on the party-line interfering with the process.
The only exception that I can think of is if you are in a life-or-death situation and there is no means of contacting someone locally.
RayK
KK4WPB
Thanks Ray. I thought I made that clear. But it is good to remind people.
Peace,
Todd
Thank you Mr. RayK, for keeping such a valuable resource free and clear.
From the daughter of W3HVS, (called silent on Jan 18, 1999 Miss you Daddy!), who used to relay phone calls and messages for soldiers and family in Vietnam, and from a little girl who used to fall asleep to the lullaby of ham chatter, and –
Sister to KD4VAC, still kicking it in NC
73’s and 88’s
Good considerations in your article! Thanks. The basics of food and water are a no brainer for me. I am interested in specifics for a medical hazard in terms of things I should have in my stash for protecting us. Thanks.
Thanks JoEllen.
Have you thought about some of the more powerful essential oils like Tea Tree and Oregano?
Peace,
Todd
I am curious about how to handle medications – we can get 1 month for many medications (and 3 months for others). Depending on the moment in time when the quarantine is called, 1 month could have dwindled down to a week. How do we acquire these medications so we can survive a quarantine?
Taking thyroid meds myself, here is how I stockpiled a multi-year supply: ask doc for full year script. ( doc had no problem as my meds haven’t changed in years). Next ask for paper script to take shopping for best price. (Prices ranged from $167 at one place to $34 at Walmart). After hesitation, also ask for script be texted to in-house pharmacy, so to check on price. After appt with doc is over, immediately go to in house pharmacy, and fill script using any insurance. (In house seems to always be more expensive). Since it is full year script, they will to come back to pick up meds when they come in. Then immediately go to Walmart or wherever is cheapest, and fill the paper script, using cash, no insurance. (Probably have to come back when they have enough of the med). So use insurance on one, and pay cash for the other. I have done many times. All pharmacies want to sell meds so eager to fill scripts. No questions asked except one time when I delayed going back to pick up filled script. Also always check to make all pills are there. Also ask, if possible to have sealed bottles of meds, so no air/oxygen is added by pharmacists. Then rotate your stock. Check internet for storage protocol, and length of time med is still good.
Thanks for the article. I’m thinking you are younger than me so I’ll try to keep that in mind when I tell you that you miss the boat completely on decontamination. The only way to stay not infected when you leave yorvsafe area is in a full face mask abd a water proof hasmat suit. The suit must be water proof so you can be sprayed from head to toe in clorox when you return buy someone in the exact same outfit. Else, you will carry the germs in to your living area, get infected and die. Period, end of story
I agree with you. However, what are you going to tell a parent who runs out of food for their child? I’m sorry, don’t go outside without a hazmat suit, but stay in here and starve to death. If things really go sideways, most people don’t have hazmat suits.
Peace,
Todd
They are relatively cheap right now on amazon. As are full NBC gas masks. Now is the time to buy, not when SHTF.
Was looking on Amazon for surgical mask…the price gouging has started. Charging $150.00 shipping!!
I think we agree on HAM radio. I also carry 2 Baofengs in my “car bag” and my Yaesu 2m HT in my “man purse”. Primary use is to give them to another’s for local Comms if needed in a situation.
If you have a good local VHF/2M Repeater the Baofeng may be useful to listen first and talk second. To be useful your local group must have prepared and practice e-comm. Sure the random HAM listening to the repeater may be able to send help. Consider OpSec/ComSec before sharing on public repeaters.
Shortwave (HF HAM) listening is the primary means for gathering information outside your local area.
For a concise reference on HAM for Preparedness see:
http://WWW.AmRRON.COM
Shortwave Radio Info
https://amrron.com/2015/10/11/shortwave-radio-basics-parts-1-2/
Good article Todd. I have thought through and ensured we are squared away on food, water and medical supplies and have taken a quick pass at thinking about what needs to happen as things get progressively worse but I hadn’t considered routines once you quarantine your self. Thanks.
Clorox will not kill Coronavirus but learn how to use UV light.
A UV wand will decontaminate your hazmat suite , UV light placed on incoming water line to destroy all Bio and a UV light on your A/C also
What kind of UV light do you recommend? I don’t know much about them.
VHF radios like the Baofeng are useless in for anything but talking with your team at your Quarantine location within a mile.
What is useful is a Shortwave Radio. The best is Tecsun PL-880. It MUST have the single side band or SSB feature or again it will be useless. Saying a Baofeng is a prepper Ham Radio has been a huge disservice to the preparedness community. They are only high power Walkie Talkies not a source for regional, national, and international news and information.
I’m sure, just like firearms, that many HAM operators have varying opinions. I have a good friend who has been a HAM for years. He teaches classes, etc…. He always carries a Baofeng with him. Does he have a “real” HAM radio at home? Yes of course. But you can program your Baofeng to hold many channels around your area that would be very useful.
I do also agree with you that a short wave radio is very beneficial.
Peace,
Todd
To know what’s going on locally with police, medical, military, government, fire, etc a digital trunking scanner is invaluable.
Here’s a good one that’s easy to use, just enter your zip code and programs all your local frequencies automatically!
Uniden BCD436HP HomePatrol Series Digital Handheld Scanner. TrunkTracker V, Simple Programming, S.A.M.E. Emergency/Weather Alert, Covers USA and Canada https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I33XDAK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B8quEbEN73EVW
Thanks for all the helpful info Echo Papa!
Peace,
Todd
Echo Papa,
For poor-as-church-mice folks like me, Broadcastify and Scanner Radio – Fire and Police Scanner are two good Android (Android for sure, I have them) and I would guess iPhones too, and you can have really decent scanners for your local area. I know with Broadcastify, which to me is top dog, I can even hear fire ground chatter! Something NOT available to the usual scanner owner, who doesn’t know someone who knows ALL the scanner freqs. We can’t hear our police around here – God forbid we should! *snerk* – because they’re digital, so we’d need thousand dollar scanners for that. But Fire and Rescue, not to mention many state and local gov’t organizations are available. Even nation-wide with Broadcastify. Broadcastify has a paid service (which provides MANY frequencies that will immediately be programmed into select scanners) might even have local digital police frequencies available. I have the free version and I wouldn’t be without it. This might help folks either short term, so they can buy the recommended scanners for their area, or even long term, for folks like me. Local groups for our town, (on Facebook), tend to immediately cover local police happenings of any consequence, so there’s always that, unless the gov’t shuts down Facebook, of course……¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Annathule
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I’m coming a little late here but noticed you brought up sambucol as an immune booster, I’ve come across some conflicting information about elderberry specifically and wanted to share as something to keep in mind regarding cytokine. Here’s one of the articles I’ve come across so far,
https://www.naturalmedicinemamas.com/nmm-blog/cytokine-storm-and-herbs-life-or-death-information?fbclid=IwAR13NwnThXZfrUrYbPdtPclDIU6aiFF63ywHrMw_1XOgeVS6MXCzOblmvc0
Hey Todd,
I was wondering what are the best items to keep in stock is there like a top 10 list, and what about the economy that is what is really worrying me. Is it better to keep cash or to buy goods, it seems like silver and gold are already shooting up.
Preparedness is very personal. The Top 10 items that you need to be better prepared is very specific to you! There are some basics that everyone needs: Shelter, Food, Water, etc… The best way to handle this is to think about what you absolutely need on a daily basis and go from there.
Your other question is specific too! With that said, you want to make sure you minimize debt and have more coming in than is going out. Precious metals is something that you should consider only when you have everything else in place, like enough food, etc…
I hope that helps.
Peace,
Todd
Being ‘Prepared Christians’, what is your position on “personal protective devices”?
That’s a broad question. Can you be more specific?
Another area of Christian Prepper readiness is Christian Community. Read about this large one in the Ozark safe zone.
http://www.arkhaven.org