Dear family and friends, I’ve been asking you if you are prepared for the Corona Virus Disease 19 (COVID-19) as I believe there is a reasonable chance that this will become a global pandemic. Whether this is true or not is another discussion, but assuming it is, I wish you prepare as best you can.

The purpose of this post is to collect what I know and think so far, so I don’t have to repeat myself to each one of you :P

I’m no health expert or epidemiologist, but from all the reading I’ve done and from watching the events in Wuhan and across China, Japan, South Korea and the world, I’ll share some ideas that may be useful. There are a whole bunch of tips here, which aren’t part of official recommendations, but seem like a good idea to me. Use your own judgement. And for the official advice, go to the WHO Q&A page or your government informational website:

Don’t get it!

Don’t wait until half your neighborhood is infected. There is quite a long lag time between infection and diagnosis. If you wait until people near you are getting sick, you might already be too late. So why not start today.

First things first — read the WHO recommendations! Do it now, unlike this article, those will get updated as new information becomes available! https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

— read the WHO recommendations! Do it now, unlike this article, those will get updated as new information becomes available! https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public Watch this video:

Avoid people — the less people you come in contact with, the lower your chances of getting infected. So avoid crowds, public transport, events, schools, sports clubs, gyms, shopping malls, bars and restaurants. I know this is terrible advice for the economy, I own a bar myself and I’m not looking forward to the losses I’m going to make, but this is common sense. The virus transmits from person to person, so if you stay away from people, you’re away from the virus.

— the less people you come in contact with, the lower your chances of getting infected. So avoid crowds, public transport, events, schools, sports clubs, gyms, shopping malls, bars and restaurants. I know this is terrible advice for the economy, I own a bar myself and I’m not looking forward to the losses I’m going to make, but this is common sense. The virus transmits from person to person, so if you stay away from people, you’re away from the virus. Wash your hands — according to the experts, this is the most important way to prevent getting infected. Seriously, wash your hands, like, all the time! Learn how to do it properly!

Stop touching your face — this is really really hard. One way to practice this is to make it a game. With your family, call out anytime someone touches their face, add some penalty to make it fun.

— this is really really hard. One way to practice this is to make it a game. With your family, call out anytime someone touches their face, add some penalty to make it fun. Work from home — if you’re lucky enough to have a job that you could perform from home, make use you get ready to do so. One company from Wuhan quickly updated their systems to allow their employees to work from home, to find that only about 20% of their workforce had a reliable internet connection AND a computer. So set yourself up with a good internet connection, a computer and arrange VPN access into your office.

— if you’re lucky enough to have a job that you could perform from home, make use you get ready to do so. One company from Wuhan quickly updated their systems to allow their employees to work from home, to find that only about 20% of their workforce had a reliable internet connection AND a computer. So set yourself up with a good internet connection, a computer and arrange VPN access into your office. Be boring, stay safe — refrain from activities that could get you injured or hurt or sick. Infected people will go see their doctor when they are sick and go to hospital when they are infected. So naturally those are places you want to avoid if possible. Also, when they are helping you, you’re placing an extra burden on the healthcare system. So no skateboarding, fixing the solar panels on your roof, etc. Just watch Contagion on Netflix and if you want to exercise, consider a long walk (but not near other people).

Beat it!

Hopefully the tips above help you avoid getting it. But there are also things you can do to prepare in case you catch it. Since there is no vaccine or known cure at the moment, the only defense we have is our immune system. So the stronger our immune system, the better we can fight this virus.

Get your flu vaccine — this will do nothing to protect you from COVID-19. But the last thing you want right now is to catch a flu!

— this will do nothing to protect you from COVID-19. But the last thing you want right now is to catch a flu! Sleep — getting enough sleep is vital for a strong immune system.

— getting enough sleep is vital for a strong immune system. Eat healthy — eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Although if you plan to limit going outside, this might be harder. You could freeze your vegetables or buy frozen. Not sure where the research is on vitamin supplements, but I take them. I take C, D and multi. D is supposed to be important for the immune system… if you have a balcony, grab some sun if you can :)

— eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Although if you plan to limit going outside, this might be harder. You could freeze your vegetables or buy frozen. Not sure where the research is on vitamin supplements, but I take them. I take C, D and multi. D is supposed to be important for the immune system… if you have a balcony, grab some sun if you can :) Relax — stress is bad for your immune system.

— stress is bad for your immune system. Exercise — but maybe not at the gym, where everyone is touching all the equipment. Instead, consider walking, cycling and take the stairs instead of the lift (with all those dirty buttons). Bonus points for exercise you can do at home. You can try this:

No heavy drinking — heavy drinking weakens your immune system.

— heavy drinking weakens your immune system. Get help! — obviously, if you have symptoms, follow the guidance of your local government.

Don’t spread it

Be nice and regardless of whether you think you have it or not, remember that you may spread the virus while having no symptoms.

Stay away from people — when you have symptoms, don’t go to work, stay home and contact your healthcare provider for instructions. Don’t take an uber to the hospital. Remember that every person you come in contact with could catch it from you.

— when you have symptoms, don’t go to work, stay home and contact your healthcare provider for instructions. Don’t take an uber to the hospital. Remember that every person you come in contact with could catch it from you. Wear a surgical mask — When you have symptoms, wear a surgical mask to reduce spread. Remember that this isn’t 100% protection. Be aware that cloth masks vs surgical masks vs respiratory masks have different effectiveness. Learn how to properly put it on:

Don’t visit the elderly — While normally it’s a nice to visit your parents or grandparents. Consider that they are most at risk of serious illness from the virus. Therefore you might want to reconsider paying them a visit

Prepare

If this turns into a full blown pandemic, life will probably be a bit different for a while. The response is likely to be different everywhere, but looking at Wuhan and other places, some of the things that might happen are:

Closure of schools (has happened in many countries)

Closure of shops and restaurants (many shops closed across China)

Closure of companies (Singapore DBS bank office closed due to single case, most of China closed)

Reduced availability of medical services

Cancellation of public gatherings, events, etc

Home quarantine (as suggestion or enforced with large prison sentences for breaking it)

Limitations to public transport

Restrictions on movement and travel (including air travel). Countries might not allow you or require quarantine

Shortages of masks and hand sanitizer and many other products (the was a toilet paper run in Hong Kong, sex toys are running out in the Netherlands :P )

Martial law

On the bright side, things that don’t seem affected are:

Gas, electricity, water and garbage collection

Supermarkets (at least in China… we don’t know how this will play out in less authoritarian countries)

While I would not recommend everyone to stockpile food and supplies, for you, my friends and family, there are a few things you might want to grab on your next shopping run:

Medication — if you use any regular medication, especially if it’s critical that you take it, I’d make sure you have a good supply. Delivery or availability of medication may get delayed during a large outbreak. Better safe than sorry.

— if you use any regular medication, especially if it’s critical that you take it, I’d make sure you have a good supply. Delivery or availability of medication may get delayed during a large outbreak. Better safe than sorry. Bulky and heavy items — if you live far from your local supermarket, consider the pain of lugging 10kg of pet food around town because all transport has shut down.

— if you live far from your local supermarket, consider the pain of lugging 10kg of pet food around town because all transport has shut down. Masks and hand sanitizer — yeah, good luck on this one. While very overpriced there seems to be some availability in places. Most masks don’t stop you from getting the virus, but they do stop you from touching your face, which may help. The only masks that actually filter the virus out and can protect you are N95 or FFP2 masks, but only if properly fitted and used. If properly fitted they are very uncomfortable for breathing. You can also protect your eyes with goggles. But again, most important thing is to not touch your face and wash your hands!!

— yeah, good luck on this one. While very overpriced there seems to be some availability in places. Most masks don’t stop you from getting the virus, but they do stop you from touching your face, which may help. The only masks that actually filter the virus out and can protect you are N95 or FFP2 masks, but only if properly fitted and used. If properly fitted they are very uncomfortable for breathing. You can also protect your eyes with goggles. But again, most important thing is to not touch your face and wash your hands!! Food (and water) — get those ramen noodle packs! Seriously though, plenty of resources online on “prepping”.

— get those ramen noodle packs! Seriously though, plenty of resources online on “prepping”. Pet food — once you’re done looking after yourself, don’t forget about your pets because the pet store might not stay open.

— once you’re done looking after yourself, don’t forget about your pets because the pet store might not stay open. Entertainment — if you (and your children) have to spend a significant amount of time at home without being allowed to leave, you may want to have something to keep everyone occupied.

Keep in mind that if you want to be a good citizen, you might not do some of these things. But everyone should make those decisions for themselves. I’m a selfish bastard, so I just look after myself, my family and friends.

Stay safe!

P.S. Sharon Lu, thanks for your help!!