I drove over to Home Depot this afternoon and walked past the aisles where masks, respirators and goggles are normally found. Even without my saying anything, another customer explained that the types of masks you want for the Coronavirus are all sold out. That’s a good sign that some are getting ready for, in the words of the CDC, “significant disruption”.
Our resilience as a state will soon be tested in ways that will be difficult to anticipate. The November 30th earthquake came as a sudden shock to all of us, and our resilience in the face of it was on display for the entire country to see. Alaskans did well.
While some Alaskan families were hit especially hard by the earthquake, the coming public health crisis will be a far greater disruption for the majority of Alaskans. It will test the resilience of our families and our communities.
Some have asked what they can still do to prepare. Chris Martenson does a great job breaking it down on his website. Watch the video here (yes, one of these steps is not recommended…so watch the video):
If you have the means, make sure you have a deep pantry. Enough for your family, and enough to share. Nothing wrong with stocking up on extra shelf-stable food if you can afford it.
Five counties in California have declared public health emergencies. I anticipate we will see that taking place here as well. Expect to see disrupted supply chains and some bare shelves here in Alaska. Best thing you can do now is to anticipate the critical items your family may need in the event of significant disruptions (food, medicine, diapers, etc.).
Hopefully, you are already well situated to ride out the coming storm. If you aren’t, and you have the money available, you’ve got a little more time to stock up.
Japan has now closed schools until early April. Consider how you and your family might cope if inter-state travel is disrupted or if your child’s school is closed for a period of time.
It is difficult to anticipate the nature of every disruption Alaskans will face, but we know there will be disruptions, and they may last quite a bit longer than what most Alaskans experienced in the aftermath of the 2018 earthquake.
Let us do our part now to continue strengthening our families and our communities for the challenges that all of us will soon be facing.
