Preparedness for when

fuddle

It's not just about the kit you have, it's also about common sense. You could have all the protective kit in the world but step out of line in taking that kit off and you can bet your bottom dollar you've picked up an organism and on the way to spreading it as you go about your business home. :cool:

GreyQueen

Very much a case of what's between the ears being as important as any protective measures. Gawdhelpyer if you raise a gloved and contaminated hand to scratch your face and transfer something nasty to the mucus membranes of your eyes, nose or mouth. Doesn't have to be the Big Bad E, there are plenty of nasty things which are much commoner than we like to think about.

I still encounter educated and intelligent people who don't wash their hands after going to the loo. And reports from hospitals say even doctors and nurses are guilty of this. I have seen a hospital side ward of 6 beds being 'cleaned' by some fool who didn't even dip the mop into the bucket once for the whole area. Dunno what he thought he was doing - rearranging dirt artistically via the medium of water?

SuperGran was a career nurse and a theatre sister for the biggest chunk of her working life. She is a firm fan of thick bleach to this day. I swear you could perform surgery on that woman's kitchen counters........

Jesting aside, there is a lot of poor hygiene practise around, as we have become accustomed to having magic bullets like anti-biotics to fix infections. If we end up with extremely infectious incurable diseases once again, we're seriously going to have to up our game to combat them.

Frugalsod

fuddle wrote: »

It's not just about the kit you have, it's also about common sense. You could have all the protective kit in the world but step out of line in taking that kit off and you can bet your bottom dollar you've picked up an organism and on the way to spreading it as you go about your business home. :cool:

But that also applies to nearly everything prepping wise. Unless you become proficient with a fire steel you cannot say that you will be able to make a fire if necessary. You will need to practice with your kit before it becomes necessary to used in earnest.

fuddle

It applies to everything in life Frugalsod. The point was that disposable gloves won't protect against Ebola, colds or even getting faeces on my face should I not have the common sense to avoid riskier practices.

[Deleted User]

For personal hygiene, one of the best products is carbolic soap.

ZTD

Frugalsod wrote: »

While it is a serious threat solar magnetic storms while unpredictable can be detected several days ahead.

The Carrington Event, which is the "gold standard" of these sorts of things, only took 17 hours between flare and impact. If you lop off a couple of hours for the usual verification and "informing of authorities", then the various electricity companies probably have 15 hours to prepare for it. If everyone is on top of their game, organised, competent and professional - this is doable.

Then I would remind you that one of the parties involved would be nPower. We're doomed... :rotfl:

ZTD

GreyQueen wrote: »

Ultimately, all precautions are only about slewing the odds in your favour.

That's exactly right - even Domestos only claims to kill 99.9(etc)% of germs.

But a bit of Domestos, plus a bit of rubber glove, plus a bit of unbroken skin and you are really decreasing the odds, and decreasing the numbers of germs which would invade if you did get unlucky. After that, it's up to your immune system - which isn't useless either.

JayneC

Frugalsod wrote: »

I use those old victorian ceramic hot water bottles. They stay very hot so need to wrap them in a towel or you get burned throughout the night.

I have a couple of these. They're like little radiators in your bed. If you make sure they are filled right up, they stay warm til morning.

pm2326

GreyQueen wrote: »

Have been out and about and have been checking out disposable gloves.

My market stall hasn't got any and won't have any until his gaffer brings them, at some random and unspecified future point. I shall keep an eye, as he's told me whereabouts on the stall they'd be, when they have any.

Apart from that, I've checked out Wilk0s where you can buy 40 gloves (note, these disposables are numbered individually, so you'd have to halve that to get numbers of pairs of gloves) has 40-packs at £4.50 amd £3.50 (latex free ones being cheaper).

S@vers, if you have that chain where you live, have pkts of 10 gloves for £1. Poondlandia have pkts of 20 gloves for £1. Only they have 3 pkts less than an hour ago because I bought them.;)

Worth noting that these gloves are rated for light cleaning, food service, uses like that, so best to assume not proof against a Category 4 biohazard like Ebola, then.

However, if the water supply is down and you're having to manage your own wastes, or there is sickness or diarrhea in the household, these come in very handy indeed. I also use them when painting with gloss and using superglue, so they won't be wasted but for now will be roosting on the hygiene preps shelf, apart from some older ones which will go into my everyday bag.

Ultimately, all precautions are only about slewing the odds in your favour. Right now, I'm boiling a teatowel, because it was looking a bit sad and I didn't have a white wash for it to keep company with. I always feel rather OS and housewifely once I've boiled something.......:p

Thanks for this GQ, it's very helpful.

I dont have all of these shops where I live but the next town over does + a few more bargain shops so think i will take a wander over on Saturday.

StanwithaPlan

I need adaptors for my LED bulbs... dammit!

£1.98 fleabay purchase required...nothing's ever simple (or as cheap as you hoped) is it! :rotfl:

Hey ho!