Benjamin Franklin said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and this holds true today even with the outbreak of a new respiratory disease known as the Coronavirus.

The nine Coronavirus outbreak safety tips below are complied to help keep you and your family safe during this rapidly evolving situation.

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How Bad Is The Human Coronavirus?

The silver lining to this pandemic cloud is the fact that many people have recovered from the virus and many more continue to recover.

So, there is hope.

The truth of the matter is that while we should be optimistic, the situation may be bleaker than we believe it to be.

While the World Health Organization may have renamed the coronavirus as COVID-19 to prevent stigmatization, this politically-correct gesture will have no impact on the threat.

With the Chinese government’s tendency toward secrecy and skewing the stats to make the situation look more favourable, the death toll may be much higher and the problem infinitely more severe than portrayed.

Here in the United States, the CDC reports are changing daily and thus I have removed the numbers from this article because there was simply no way to keep it updated with the correct numbers as fast as they are changing.

Why The Coronavirus Is About To Be Declared A Pandemic

The Coronavirus is a pandemic because it has spread worldwide.

Unlike epidemics which are contained in one specific location, a pandemic crosses borders without a care in the world and infects anyone who may cross its path.

You have to be alert and take extra precautions to stay safe from these types of diseases.

At the moment, there is no cure for the coronavirus.

Creating a vaccine will take time and a lot of money, but they are working on finding one.

Can You Really Avoid Getting The Coronavirus?

The best way to avoid the problem is to act proactively and take a few extra precautions.

At the moment, we’ve not reached a widespread pandemic that’s grounds for panic, so the most important thing to do is to stay calm.

Hoarding food, water, and other essential supplies is not necessary, but hopefully you are already stocked up enough so if it should become an issue, your family is still going to be ok.

However, in some Asian countries, most surgical and N95 masks have been snapped up and are currently sold out.

Many people are turning to homemade masks consisting of at least three layers of woven cotton with an interior pocket that can be filled with some kind of filtration material such as Kleenex.

The same applies to hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and other essential items to help people survive this kind of panademic.

The truth of the matter is that depending on the severity of the pandemic, these measures may be helpful at reducing the risks.

No method is 100 percent safe, and if the virus is airborne, preventing it will become infinitely more difficult.

This is especially true for office buildings, malls, and any other place that uses ventilation systems, air conditioning, etc.

Ventilation systems help ‘aerosolize’ the airborne virus thus helping it spread faster and infect more people.

How Do I Mitigate My Coronavirus Infection Risk?

The good news is that the coronavirus seems to only show limited signs of being airborne, or at least that’s what the Chinese authorities are saying.

Whatever the case may be, there are a few precautionary measures you can take to mitigate your risks.

The basic principles of staying safe apply regardless of the pandemic.

It could be Ebola, SARS, Zika, the coronavirus or even the common flu.

The 9 tips below will help prevent the spread of these types of airborne viruses.

Avoid Crowds

The first and most important step is to avoid crowded places.

The less contact you have with other human beings, the lower your risks of infection will be.

This is common sense, as are most of the other tips.

If you work in an office, consider requesting to work from home on a temporary basis.

Your boss might allow it given how fast the Coronavirus is spreading.

Less people.

Less contact.

Less risk.

That’s your mantra.

Wear Protective Gear To Protect Yourself Against The Coronavirus

While N95 masks are a bit of an overkill, using the normal surgical mask will help reduce your risk of infection.

The key word here is ‘reduce’.

No mask is fool proof.

If masks are sold out, you may fold a handkerchief and use it as a precautionary measure.

Will this help?

To some degree, it will.

If someone coughs or sneezes near you, the little droplets flying around will be stopped by your ‘makeshift’ cloth mask.

That’s about the only time a cloth mask helps.

Always wash cloth masks in boiling water with a dash of bleach or disinfectant before reusing them.

Avoid Touching Your Face, Nose Or Eyes

This is one of the biggest mistakes that people inadvertently make.

You’ll come into contact with countless surfaces when you’re out in public.

Public transport handles and seats, restaurant tables, chairs, etc. are all common spaces that you’ll come into contact with depending on what you’re doing.

When you touch these surfaces, any bacteria or viruses there may get transferred to your hands.

Do not touch your face, nose or eyes.

Do not touch any open wounds.

This is the easiest way to infect yourself.

You must be situationally aware at all times.

Wash Your Hands With Soap And Water

Several doctors say that regular handwashing is far more effective than wearing masks.

Some say it’s even more advantageous than using commercially-sold hand sanitizers.

The fact that you’re more likely to get infected from surfaces covered with droplets emitted by someone who is infected, because you touched the surfaces and then your face, the best safety measure is to wash your hands regularly.

Everything from the utensils you use to your mobile phone, keys, steering wheel in your car, etc. comes in contact with your hands.

So, it’s best to keep them as clean as possible.

If you have no access to water, use hand sanitizers.

You can also spray items such as your mobile phone case, keys or even the steering wheel in your car with a disinfectant.

Avoid Tracking Bacteria Into Your Home

Another area people often overlook is the fact that they can invite bacteria into their home without even realizing it.

Do not wear shoes into your home.

This is the surest way to not only bring bacteria into your home, but also cause a myriad of other health problems such as allergies, etc.

If you have pets and walk them outside, remember to wash your pet’s paws when you get home.

Do not let your dog or cat wander in and out of the house as it pleases.

One common mistake that many people make is to get home from work and just plonk themselves down on the couch.

Some even sit on their bed when they step into the rooms.

Do not make this mistake.

You’re still wearing clothes that came into contact with public surfaces.

Remove your clothes and put them in the laundry, which you’ll wash with detergent and disinfectant later.

Only sit on your couch or bed once you’ve showered.

It may be a hassle, but it’s a necessary measure to stay safe when there is a public pandemic such as the Coronavirus.

Strengthen Your Immune System To Protect Against All Kinds Of Viruses

There’s a reason some people survive the virus and some don’t.

Oftentimes, it will come down to how strong your immune system is.

If you do get infected, your immune system may be your last hope.

If it’s strong, your chances of survival will be much higher.

Consume vitamin C, fish oil, curcumin, garlic oil, zinc, selenium, elderberry and vitamin D supplements.

These will help to boost your immunity and give your body a fighting chance to boot the virus out should it you end up with it.

A strong immune system is the best way to prevent all kinds of sickness, not just the Coronavirus.

See A Doctor If You Suspect You Are Ill

Besides the coronavirus, there are tons of other influenza strains going around.

Since the symptoms are mostly the same, only a qualified doctor will be able to diagnose your condition accurately.

The first thing you should not do with the Coronavirus going around it to try to treat yourself if you notice you have flu symptoms.

Swallowing two aspirin tablets with a diet soda and calling it a day is not an option right now.

Get checked by a medical professional immediately.

Early detection will help to check the spread of the virus plus you’ll be less likely to infect those you come into contact with.

If you’re not infected, but just down with the common cold, do take a few days off work and stay home to rest and recuperate.

Your immune system will be compromised and you don’t want to be outside where you could get infected with something worse.

You’ll also be less likely to pass on your contagious flu to others.

Stay home until you’re well.

Period.

Keep Your Living Areas Clean

There’s a saying that goes, ‘Nothing inspires cleanliness more than an unexpected guest.’

It’s humorous, but true.

In this case, however, we’re keeping the house clean to prevent unexpected ‘virus guests’.

Vacuum your house daily and mop your floors with water that has been mixed with a disinfectant or bleach.

This will help eradicate any bacteria around.

You may choose to use an air purifier to clean the air in your house too.

Very often, during a widespread pandemic, the stores may not have anymore disinfectant or bleach.

If this is the case, guess what?

Alcohol will do too.

Vodka or gin is effective for wiping surfaces too.

The higher the proof, the better.

Essential oils such as lemon and tea tree also have disinfectant properties.

Don't Panic Even If You Are Exposed To The Coronavirus

Last but not least, stay calm even if you are exposed to the coronavirus.

Do not panic or rush to hoard items.

You can and should stock up on non-perishable items like a responsible prepper, but do it gradually.

You do not have to wildly grab everything you can get your hands on.

Stay positive and know that several potential pandemics prior to the coronavirus have been effectively contained.

This one will be probably be no different.

Do not stress yourself out or get paranoid.

When you’re stressed, your immune system is lower and you’re at a higher risk.

Follow the tips above and you’ll be much safer during this coronavirus outbreak.

Emergency Planning And Preparedness Tips

The Importance Of Taking Survival Preparedness Seriously

Survival preparedness needs to be taken seriously because you never know when a natural disaster or a man-made catastrophe might happen. A disaster can occur when you least expect it, and this is why it is extremely important to be well-prepared before you are caught off-guard.