Posted by: fal3 Mar 16 2006, 12:52 PM
The following is a Worksheet from one of our meetings which deals with practical things which must be considered during a disease epidemic. It has been modified to a more generalized condition, although it still largely related to a rural-based unit.


WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN A DISEASE EPIDEMIC SITUATION.

**THE DURATION OF THESE DRASTIC MEASURES COULD BE SEVERAL WEEKS TO SEVERAL MONTHS, WITH A GRADUAL ATTEMPT TO MOVE BACK TO NORMALCY. THE GOVERNMENT WILL SET THE LAW SO FAR AS WHAT EVENTS WILL BE ALLOWED AND WHICH ONES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. THERE IS A STRONG LIKELIHOOD THAT MARTIAL LAW WILL BE INITIATED, WITH CURFEWS AND LIMITS ON WHERE A PERSON MAY TRAVEL. LOCAL POLICE, SHERIFF DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, AND NATIONAL GUARD WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CARRY OUT THE MANDATES OF THE GOVERNMENT. THE GOAL IS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE SPECIFIC CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN WE EXPECT IN A RURAL AREA ?
—EXPECT THAT NORMAL UTILITY SERVICES WILL STILL FUNCTION. PHONE, INTERNET, CABLE, ELECTRICITY, AND GASOLINE WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE (ALTHOUGH A MUCH HIGHER PRICE). EXPECT TO BE MONITORED MUCH MORE CLOSELY.
—ALL LARGE PUBLIC FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS BALL GAMES, TOWN MEETINGS, AND THEATER EVENTS WILL BE CLOSED.
—THERE IS A STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF ALL SCHOOLS BEING CLOSED, INCLUDING DAY CARE CENTERS AND PRE-SCHOOLS.
—SOME SCHOOLS WILL BE USED AS “QUARANTINE AND TREATMENT” AREAS.
—MANY STORES—EVEN FOOD STORES—WILL CUT BACK THEIR HOURS DRAMATICALLY OR CLOSE COMPLETELY DUE TO FEARS OF SPREADING THE EPIDEMIC, LAW-SUITS, OR THE INITIAL LACK OF FOOD SUPPLIES.
—SOME JOBS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED “NON-ESSENTIAL” WILL BE ORDERED CLOSED DOWN.
—WITH A “DUSK TO DAWN” CURFEW, MANY JOBS THAT ARE STILL OPEN WILL HAVE TO CLOSE
DOWN EARLY SO EMPLOYEES CAN COMPLY WITH A DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME SITUATION.
—EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE IN GREAT DEMAND. (Many more illnesses will occur as a result of panic, fear, and imagination--PSYCHOSYMATIC).
—SICKNESSES OTHER THAN EPIDEMIC-RELATED ILLNESSES WILL NOT RECEIVE PRIORITY AT MEDICAL FACILITIES WHICH WILL OPERATE UNDER GOVERNMENT CONTROL AND PHILOSOPHY. THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT--REPEAT NOT--IMPORTANT. ONLY THE LARGER MASS OF PEOPLE MEANS ANYTHING--AND THEN ONLY CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE--WILL BE CONSIDERED WORTHY OF PRECIOUS MEDICAL TREATMENT. (The philosophy will be: “If a person dies from a heart attack due to neglect on our part, only one person dies. But, if a person comes in and has a contagious, deadly disease and we do not give them the highest priority, they could eventually infect hundreds of others, and many of them would die.” If, under flu conditions medical facilities in our area are beyond their capabilities to help people in a timely and effective manner, imagine what an actual epidemic would bring ! We can expect that even some medical personnel will be effected by the disease, as well).

WHAT CAN WE DO TO ASSIST THOSE WITHIN OUR UNIT IN MEDICAL NEEDS WHICH WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY TAKEN CARE OF BY THE OFFICIAL MEDICAL AGENCIES ?
—PRAY.
—USE THE BIBLICAL STANDARDS FOR HEALING AND APPLY WHEN GOD LEADS. (ANOINTING WITH OIL, ETC.)
—QUALIFIED, KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE WITHIN THE UNIT CAN SET ASIDE A COUPLE DAYS PER WEEK TO HOLD SPECIAL MEDICAL EVALUATION TIMES TO ASSIST THOSE WHO NEED AND REQUEST IT. ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION LINKS WITH “ON-CALL” MEDICAL PERSONNEL WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS DUTY FOR CRITICAL EMERGENCIES NEEDS.

WHAT EFFECT WILL THESE MEASURES HAVE ON POORER PEOPLE WHO BASICALLY LIVE “HAND TO MOUTH” ? DO WE HAVE ANY SUCH PEOPLE IN OUR AO ?—THEIR INCOME IS STOPPED OR DRAMATICALLY REDUCED.
—IN COLDER WEATHER, SOME WILL NOT HAVE PROVISIONS TO HEAT THEIR HOMES FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
—IN HOTTER WEATHER, SOME WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR UTILITY BILLS, AND THUS WILL NOT HAVE FANS OR AIR-CONDITIONING RUNNING.

WHAT REACTION WILL THE POORER PEOPLE HAVE TO THESE MEASURES WHEN THEY NEED—BUT CAN’T AFFORD—FOOD AND ESSENTIALS ?
—SOME LOST PEOPLE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES “THE HAVE-NOTS” WILL ATTEMPT TO STEAL THINGS FROM THOSE THEY CONSIDER TO BE “THE HAVES.”
—SOME PEOPLE WILL BE SEEKING ASSISTANCE FROM CHURCHES AND WILL DEMAND IT.
—SAVED PEOPLE WILL SEEK THE HELP FROM THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.

DISCUSS: WHAT ARE WAYS WE CAN EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER ?
—WHEN THERE IS LITTLE TO NO DANGER THAT WE HAVE THE INFECTION ?
—WHEN WE HAVE SYMPTOMS OF THE INFECTION ?
—WHEN WE ARE SICK WITH THE INFECTION ?

HOW DO WE FIND OUT WHO WITHIN OUR UNIT HAS THE INFECTION ?
—EACH MEMBER SHOULD BE CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT EACH OTHER THAT THEY WILL ASK FOR PRAYER WHEN THEY REALIZE THEY HAVE THE INFECTION.
—FROM FAMILY MEMBERS.
—FROM THE MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
—THIS REQUIRES REGULAR AND CONSISTANT COMMUNICATION.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP TO THOSE WHO ARE SICK WITHIN OUR UNIT ?
—THERE WILL BE BASIC SANITARY GUIDELINES THAT WILL LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR INFECTION. DOCTORS, NURSES, ETC., WILL HAVE TO BE AROUND PEOPLE WITH THE INFECTION CONSTANTLY, AND WILL HAVE WAYS TO KEEPING IT OUT OF THEIR OWN SYSTEMS AS MUCH AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. WE NEED TO MONITOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING, AS WELL AS ADVICE WHICH COMES THROUGH THE CDC. FACE MASKS, AND THOROUGHLY CLEANING HABITS WILL GO A LONG WAY IN THOSE EFFORTS.

**BEWARE OF ANY INFORMATION WHICH IS COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MANY TIMES THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT AVOIDING PANIC THAN THEY ARE AVOIDING OR SOLVING ACTUAL PROBLEMS, SO THE INFORMATION THEY GIVE MAY NOT BE 100% TRUTHFUL. BE SURE YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION THROUGH RELIABLE SOURCES.
*DETERMINE IN ADVANCE WHETHER PARTICIPATING IN A MASS-IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.


WHAT WE CAN DO AMONG OURSELVES TO KEEP OUR OWN PEOPLE SAFE AND HEALTHY ?—BE FAITHFUL TO GOD. HE IS OUR STRENGTH AND OUR PROTECTOR. IF WE COME DOWN SICK, WE MUST BE DETERMINED TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE, AND GROW THROUGH IT, AND COME OUT OF IT MORE EFFECTIVE AND DEDICATED THAN BEFORE.
—BE WISE AND USE PROPER HYGIENE AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO STAY SAFE AND KEEP WORKING FOR THE LORD.

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If this type of worksheet is helpful, I'll try to post additional ones.