To plan for a pandemic:
* Store a two-week supply of water and food. During a pandemic, if you cannot get to a store, or if stores are out of supplies, it will be important for you to have extra supplies on hand. This can be useful in other types of emergencies, such as power outages and disasters.
* Periodically check your regular prescription drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home.
The CDC states that "If you have flu-like symptoms - fever plus at least cough or sore throat or other flu symptoms -- stay home for seven days after symptoms begin or until you've been symptom-free for 24 hours -- whichever is longer." If this is the case, then you are going to sped a lot of time isolated from the rest of the world.
Specifically, have the following items on hand for an extended stay at home (this is by no means a comprehensive list, but should be used as a guide):
Examples of food and non-perishables:
• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, and soups
• Protein or fruit bars
• Dry cereal or granola
• Peanut butter or nuts
• Dried fruit
• Crackers
• Canned juices
• Bottled water
• Canned or jarred baby food and formula
• Pet food
• Other non-perishable items
Examples of medical, health, and emergency supplies
• Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood-pressure monitoring equipment
• Soap and water, or alcohol-based (60-95%) hand wash
• Medicines for fever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• Thermometer
• Anti-diarrheal medication
• Vitamins
• Fluids with electrolytes
• Cleansing agent/soap
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Portable radio
• Manual can opener
• Garbage bags
• Tissues, toilet paper, disposable diapers
