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Are you prepared for a bird flu pandemic?

By L. Bailey

Reprinted with permission from birdfluprep.com

On January 5, 2006, the U.S. government recommended that all citizens stockpile food, water, and medication to prepare for a possible pandemic. Were you listening?

If or when the current bird flu virus mutates so that it is easily transmittable between humans, there is an excellent chance you will wish that you had stockpiled enough provisions to last for six months, if not longer.

Shelves at your local grocery store may be empty because people whose jobs it is to deliver food to the stores will be out sick. Because schools and some businesses will be closed, people will also be doing "last minute" stockpiling in order to stay home for an extended period.

Even if there is food available, you will not want to go out in public for fear of catching the virus from those who may not even know they are contagious. Your only hope to reduce your chance of infection is to avoid other people.

You need to stockpile now. Rice, beans, cooking oil, and spices will keep you from starvation. You can feed a family of four on those items for six months for just $272, or just $11.33 a week.

As finances allow, you can add such items as canned meat, vegetables, fruit, dry milk, pasta, oatmeal, soup mixes, baking mixes, bread ingredients, flavored drink mixes, popcorn, dried fruit, and nuts. You will need to use and replace the food as it expires.

Water may be unavailable for the reasons above and because most cities have only a one-week supply of chlorine available for water treatment. If that chlorine cannot be delivered, there will be no usable water. So stockpile water, too. One gallon a day per person is recommended.

Talk to your doctor about helping you to stockpile medication.

No one listened when experts warned about the levees failing in New Orleans. Then Katrina hit. Don't be caught unprepared.

You may end up using your "preps" during the upcoming hurricane season or possibly during a job layoff. Regardless, you'll never regret being prepared.

For more information, including government links, slide shows, and prep tips, see http://www.birdfluprep.com.

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