Are You Prepared for the Second Wave of Covid-19?

Yes, we’re being told there is a second wave of Covid-19.  It might not seem so noticeable since we are still well within the first wave of Covid-19 and the second wave may only moderately raise the infection levels that we’re accustomed to seeing every day.

Of course, the numbers being reported are highly suspect.  The infection numbers are going up because there is more widespread testing and the death rate is going up because they count just about any death as a Covid death.  I haven’t really seen anything from the public health officials that indicate they are being accurate in their assessment.  One thing we know, however, is that social distancing and wearing face masks is becoming the new normal for many people. Perhaps you’ve accepted that new reality and have submitted to mandatory social distancing and mask wearing behaviors.

What About a Second Wave of Covid-19

The fear mongering surrounding a second wave of Covid-19 and political positioning across the country shows no sign of letting up soon.  There is a high likelihood of more lockdowns and perhaps even a national lockdown is hinted at.

As the so-called “spike in cases” is being reported in different states, out-of-control governors are becoming even more authoritarian, even though they have no evidence that any of their measures work or that this isn’t just the natural cycle of a virus.

In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered all restaurants to record the name and contact information of everyone who dines there and send it all to a centralized contact tracing database.

The state wants to know when and where you’re going out to eat! What’s next?

Utah’s Republican Governor Gary Herbert ordered the state locked down and a statewide mask mandate, which is effective immediately.

And to make matters worse, Herbert is doing his best California Governor Gavin Newsom impression by trying to limit who is allowed to be in your home.

These tyrants never rest.

Now that supplies have most been restored in most areas, it’s now time to go through your preps and see where the gaps are and create a plan for filling those as best you can. When the second wave of COVID-19 hits later this year, the shortages we experienced before will likely get worse are not necessarily confined to the grocery store.

Inventory your Food Supplies

Inventory what food you have on hand and make notes of what you are shortest on.

Begin to build up your supplies now that most things are available in the stores. It is better to have a bit too much than too little of the main necessities. The nice thing about storing food is that whether you need it for an emergency or not, you can still get the benefits from it in your meals.

Remember that getting started is what is important. You don’t have to get everything all at once.

Comfort Items

Did the lockdowns and stay at home orders help you realize why you might want to stockpile some comfort items?  Remember those runs on toilet paper?  Instead of getting caught up in panic buying, perhaps this is a good time to build up your inventory of comfort items.

Think about what type of position you would be in if you found out that you had to quarantine at home during the winter or stay at home due to civil unrest.

Inventory your Pet Food

Natural disasters and droughts in some areas can also contribute to shortages. Pet foods depend on functioning meat processors. With many processors shut down and more and more farms reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, pet foods, especially those that are dependent on meat, could become harder to find or at least more expensive.

Inventory your Medical Supplies

Check your medical supplies and take note of what has been used and needs to be replenished.

Many of those medical supplies that were not available in the COVID-19 panic buying that occurred before are now available.  Take advantage of this time to pick up some of those. It doesn’t take much for this to change and you’re sure to see shortages again with the second wave hits. If you have not already arranged for prescriptions to be refilled as soon as they can, it would be wise to get that worked out right now.

Medical Appointments

Consider what necessary medical appointments are needed and how to do them safely.

Right now any in person medical appointments that are not actually necessary are being discouraged. This is not just because of the risk of COVID-19 exposure. Medical establishments could be running behind a bit since things have opened back up. That being said if you require any specific appointments you should consider if they can be accomplished remotely sooner rather than later.

If you have to go to an in-person appointment, schedule it well in advance and take some precautions when you go. If there has been civil unrest in your area you may want to try for appointments that are earlier in the day because it seems that a lot of the more eventful unrest is occurring later in the day. Going earlier allows you time to get home safely and with minimal delays.

Taking care of major healthcare needs now will allow you and your family greater peace of mind during a second wave.

Winterize your Clothing

This next wave is going to occur when it’s colder outside.  Go through your clothing and shoes and see what you have for fall and winter.  If you live somewhere that doesn’t get cold you should still check out what clothing and shoes you have on hand.

Buy it now and you won’t have to deal with lack of inventory or high prices later. Better to spend $15 on a coat now then wait two months and pay $60 or more. When it comes to kids’ clothing consider how much they are growing and make sure to have some stuff that will accommodate them.

Your Vehicle

Give your vehicle an honest evaluation and make a list of repairs and maintenance. People are not driving as much and that can lead to putting off maintenance tasks. If your tires are looking like they need to be replaced very soon then that is something you need to budget and plan for now.

Prepare you Garden

Take inventory of your garden seed stock and consider what you need for Fall and Spring gardens.

There was a big rush on seeds when the pandemic started. Some stores even blocked off aisles of seeds because they considered them non-essential.  Stores now have more inventory so it’s a good time to check out your favorite seed suppliers and see what they have.

Seeds keep well if you store them properly so there is nothing wrong with picking up some extras of things that you might want to get started in pots inside during the colder months so you can set them out in your main garden space as soon as possible in the Spring.

Heating your Home

Think about how you are going to heat your home and what you need to get to achieve that.

Do you have enough firewood? Is your heating oil tank half empty? Do you need to clean out your heating ducts? Is your chimney in need of repair or cleaning? Remember that so many parts come from China. The metal that makes up stove pipe for example is refined in China and a lot of the pipe is made there too.

Self Defense

It’s becoming increasingly clear that civil unrest will continue on some level for quite some time. Antifa and Black Lives Matter groups have created a lot of unrest in a lot of areas. While some protests have indeed been peaceful, that has not been the case in a lot of places. Just because you are in a small town or suburb doesn’t mean you are insulated from civil unrest. These Antifa groups have pledged to take their antics to the suburbs soon.

We are just nowhere near the solutions that can bring peace in the cities and streets of America. The answers are going to take time and like so many things, a lot of people are not going to particularly care for the results. Consider what you will do if civil unrest occurs in your area and make a plan.

Take stock of what you have for defense and your skill level when it comes to using what you have. Take some time to practice with whatever you’ve chosen for a weapon.  Ammunition shortages have been reported in many places and prices have increased, so it might be good to restock now while you still can.

Everyone should have something to defend themselves and their family. Regardless of how you feel about firearms or knives, you should have something. In fact, you should have more than one thing.

Remember to check your local laws too so you at least know where things stand. It is just good to know the rules.

How did Everyone Cope with Previous Crisis?

Evaluate how everyone in your family has coped with all that is going on in the world. This first wave of COVID-19 provided you an opportunity to practice some of your survival skills.

Now is a good time to make an honest evaluation of how everyone in your family including yourself, has handled things. Doing this will allow you to possibly make things better or at least figure out how to talk to others about issues and how to take them on. Did you obsess over certain aspects of anything? Was your spouse not on board with some things you considered important?

Consider the things you would have done differently and apply that knowledge to the potential 2nd wave of COVID-19.