When SHTF and society collapses, infectious diseases would make a comeback and take many lives. Preppers need to be ready for the deadly outbreaks of diarrhea, dysentery, enteric fever, malaria, and pneumonia that would spread across the U.S. during TEOTWAWKI.
The collapse would shut down the laboratories that develop new therapies and the factories that manufacture medical supplies. As the supply of antibiotics, maintenance drugs, and other clinical supplies dry up, they would become much rarer and difficult to acquire.
Money is going to be useless in a post-collapse world. People in dire need of rare medical supplies must barter for them or take more drastic steps.
Even if it doesn't cause the collapse of society, a disaster would shut down vital services like hospitals, electricity, sewage, and water supply. It may take months or even years before the local government could fix these problems.
Going to a FEMA camp during a natural disaster would not be safe. The conditions expected at a federally operated shelter increase the likelihood of catching a communicable disease by 6,000 percent. (Related: Antiviral herbal medicines found to be effective against the influenza virus: Review.)
Infectious diseases killed more people than most wars – and they'll do so again when SHTF
Infectious diseases formed the so-called “Third Army” of the American Civil War. They caused more casualties than the massed rifled muskets, cannons, bayonets, ironclads, “torpedoes” and incompetent generals of both sides combined.
“The American Civil War represents a landmark in military and medical history as the last large-scale conflict fought without knowledge of the germ theory of disease,” wrote infectious disease researcher Jeffrey S. Sartin in his 1993 study, Infectious Diseases During the Civil War: The Triumph of the “Third Army.”
“Unsound hygiene, dietary deficiencies, and battle wounds set the stage for epidemic infection, while inadequate information about disease’s causes greatly hampered its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,” he continued.
Sartin explained that infectious diseases accounted for around 66 percent of the estimated 660,000 military deaths during the Civil War. Furthermore, epidemics put a stop to several military campaigns at crucial points in the early years of the conflict. The delays may have extended the war by up to two years, increasing the number of casualties.
Other historical examples of infectious diseases included yellow fever during the Mexican-American War and the Spanish flu epidemic near the end of World War II.
Don't just stockpile medicines – learn the medical skills necessary for treating yourself and others
The infectious diseases that killed hundreds of thousands of American soldiers during the Civil War – diarrhea, dysentery, enteric fever, malaria, and pneumonia – are still around. Modern medicine and healthcare services keep them at bay for the time being.
In a societal collapse, people would quickly lose the flimsy protection of medicine and healthcare services. When that happens, the Third Army of infectious diseases is going to waltz in and take the United States by storm.
As a prepper, you must learn how to protect yourself from infectious diseases. In addition to stockpiling medical supplies, you have to learn how to treat injuries and minor illnesses that might open the door for more serious health conditions.
Most injuries involve open wounds like cuts and scrapes. These injuries are prone to infection and must be protected.
You must find out what household items may be used for first aid in case you run out of stockpiled medicine or don't have access to your supplies. That includes medicinal plants that could be grown in survival gardens.
Finally, you need to identify the cause of any personal health problem and learn the right medical skills that could treat those issues. Read SurvivalMedicine.news to stay informed.
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