COVID-19 has led to a lot of changes in your communities. Stores are selling out of food, state and federal governments are issuing “shelter-in-place” orders, and people are losing their jobs due to mandatory business closures. It’s a scary time, especially if you’ve not prepared for events like these already by setting aside supplies in case of emergency. There is hope, however. Even if there’s nothing in the stores, or if you’re currently facing a stay-at-home order, you can prepare and survive this pandemic with ease. 

There are many options for you to use online shopping to get the items you need, including food storage options with incredibly long shelf lifes. You also likely have more items at your disposal to use right now during the COVID-19 pandemic than you realize. Let’s dive in and discover how you can beat the pandemic, one day at a time.

REVIEW YOUR CURRENT FOOD SUPPLIES

You likely have a pantry, or at least a few shelves where you store dry goods, canned goods, and other snacks. If you’ve been hit with a shelter-in-place order where you are right now, chances are your local markets are looking pretty bare. This means you’ll have to make do with what you have on hand already. Chances are you’ve got a number of canned food items you’ve not opened yet, just collecting dust in your cabinet. There may also be some dry goods in there, like dried beans or rice or oats. These items may not be your first choice when it comes to a meal, but don’t turn your nose up at them right away.

A major part of surviving a pandemic is surviving the boredom you face when stuck at home doing your part to flatten the curve. These food items that you normally wouldn’t eat can be a part of that! Look up some recipes that use your current ingredients. Find new ways to entertain yourself with some cooking of new foods using your current stores. You may find it to be a fun experiment! Being stuck at home can be fun if you try new things. Just be sure to read the recipes closely, or you may end up with a flop.

Don’t forget to check the recesses of your freezer, too. Some of that old meat may look freezer burned, but there are plenty of recipes that can make good use of tough meat. Always check for any signs of the food you’re using having gone bad before you eat it, though. Now, if you’re not in the mood to try out some pandemic pioneer food, you could also place an order with My Food Storage to get up to a year's supply of delicious, easy to make food storage. My Food Storage provides incredible options for any palette, all self contained in air tight packaging designed to survive any apocalyptic event. Keep in mind, food storage is best had in preparation before a disaster like the 2020 pandemic strikes. Therefore, if you do choose to order food storage right now it may be a few weeks before it arrives. Don’t let that stop you! There will be more hazards down the road of life where you will want to have your storage ready! Let this current pandemic teach you to be prepared for the future!

One of the most important items for your food needs is of course fruit. The human body cannot produce Vitamin C on its own, meaning going without it for long periods of time can lead to illness. Having fresh fruit on hand during a pandemic lock down isn’t always an option; the stores are likely out, and what you already have is nearing the end of its edibility. That’s why dried fruit options are an effective alternative. By having plenty of fruit on hand, you can ensure better health for you and your family, as well as having something tasty to enjoy when the other snacks have run out. 

GET SOME SUNSHINE

While your local law may currently require you to shelter in place, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get some sunshine where you can. Sunshine leads to healthy production of Vitamin D, which some studies have suggested helps stave off depression and poor mood. Being stuck in your house all day might be fun for the first few days. But after a while, you’re probably feeling a bit of cabin fever. Getting a few minutes of sunshine in your yard or on the porch can help you feel better about your current situation. 

There are other ways you can beat the pandemic cabin fever as well. Taking time to learn a new skill, practice an instrument, or write that book you’ve been thinking about are all good ways to keep your mind alert. Use this time wisely. You may be feeling some anxiety from your order to shelter in place. That’s normal. But this is a unique opportunity for you and those you’re close with to invest some time in those things you’ve not had time to do before. 

COVID-19 has put the world on hold, and you are along for the ride. Take this time as your opportunity to discover more of the things you want to do, the things that make you happy. By doing this, you’ll find the sunshine you’ve been missing, and discover more peace in this restless time. 

KEEP IN TOUCH

Calling loved ones is a great way to keep your social connections strong during the current stay at home orders in many States. Try having a video call with an old friend, or reach out to a family member to see how they’re doing during their own quarantine. Keeping connected with those you love will help you get through this pandemic with your sanity intact. Self isolation doesn’t have to be so isolating!

Depending on your interests, there are even ways for you to play boardgames with others through the internet. So there’s no reason for you to feel bored and alone as long as you can connect with your friends and relations. Keeping in touch can mean more than just keeping up with your friends. Keep in touch with your current events in your area as well. Reading local articles of how your community is doing good to help those in need will give you hope. Hope is one of the most precious commodities when dealing with a pandemic. Humanity is resilient, and the trials we face now will make us stronger together. Focus on the good that is happening around you, and where you can, do good in your community, as well.

MANAGE YOUR TIME

Keeping track of what you have to do and what you want to do during your time in quarantine will help you feel in control of your life. If you’ve been affected by a lay off, be sure to make use of the available support options in your State. You can also take this time to discover, or rediscover, a talent you have that you could put to use. Keep busy, learn new things, and focus on what you can control. There are many options in your area that can assist you with whatever difficulty you are currently facing. 

You are not alone through this. Be sure to manage your resources wisely, keeping track of your food needs, health needs, and social needs. If you are low on food supplies right now, go to My Food Storage and stock up without the hassle of empty shelves. COVID-19 can’t stop you from making it so long as you continue to keep strong!

The threat of a pandemic seems strangely outdated to many people. People who are convinced modern science will always prevail over nature's adapting spread of diseases. It is the belief of others that in a world as out of balance as our own, strange viruses are apt to appear and spread faster than we can configure treatment.

Sickness is not any less common today than it was a couple hundred years ago, in fact, it might by even more common. Not as concerning as they once were, symptoms similar to a cold or the flu rarely keep anyone home these days, making illness all the more contagious. If a new virus was to surface today, it could spread at a frighteningly high rate and take a lot of lives before being controlled.

When considering a future pandemic, scientists look at Ebola as the perfect example of destructive and fatal disease that is highly complex and difficult to control. Ebola hemorrhagic fever has claimed thousands of lives in Africa, and to this day has no cure, only treatment that may or may not suffice to save a life. This bleeding disease has a 90% death rate, and is a cross-species disease infected initially by primates. When a disease affects human and non-human subjects it is difficult to contain, and can spread quickly as it is difficult to treat and track the infected animals.

Disease spillovers, or in other words an illness that jumps from species to species, is what most believe will cause our next big pandemic. Aside from Ebola, diseases like SARS, HIV and hantavirus have been contracted similarly, and caused severe outbreaks amongst various populations. These diseases weren't even all limited to primates, but other distinctly different wild animals.

According to many scientists, the reason for diseases spilling over from one species to another has something to do with our unstable environment. Our planet is constantly changing, and so are the populations introduced and dwindling in specific areas of the world. Some diseases unknown to us are carried by animals that then spread a disease they never appeared to have, mutating when contracted by a new host, which can cause severe damage to the human body. This sort of disease could become increasingly difficult to break.

The truth is, no one can pin point a day or a year when the next big pandemic might surface, only to descend after bringing a big piece of humanity with it.

Diseases like these are easier to prevent than cure:

1. Store at least a month's worth of survival food and water.
2. Stay inside, do not risk exposure, this is why you have emergency storage.
3. Keep a supply of first aid kits, medical masks, and rotate medicines and vitamins so you have a continuous supply. Wash your hands frequently.
4. Make a plan with your family on how to avoid infection and what to do if anyone is infected.
5. Don't panic, getting inside your head can cause you to feel sick even if you're not. Remaining calm will keep your body stronger and your mind sharper.

Remember, being independent allows you to safely isolate yourself from the dangers of a pandemic by limiting the need to leave your home. It is important to understand the dangers and prepare for them wisely, but don't let yourself panic. Pandemic's throughout history have always been resolved through modern medicine, and humanity survives. Survive with your emergency supplies and live to talk about it.