Xi said: "China is Battling a Demon Virus"

[CrealCritter]

"The infection is believed to have originated in a wild-animal market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where it jumped to humans before spreading rapidly across the country, prompting authorities to enact drastic nationwide travel restrictions in recent days."

Xi says China fighting 'demon' virus as nations prepare airlifts

China is battling a "demon" virus that has so far killed more than 100 people, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday, as foreign nations prepared to evacuate their citizens and the US said it was developing a vaccine. Xi made his remarks during talks with the head of the World Health Organization...

news.yahoo.com

 

[baymule]

A huge population with limited arable land will get down to eating most anything I guess. I have eaten fried rattlesnake, not bad, but BATS? Oh heck NO! Now knowing that snakes carry this virus, they are off the menu, not that snakes were ever a first class meal. If the Chinese like snake so much, maybe they could send hunting teams to the everglades and clean out the anacondas, boa constrictors and other invasive species. It would be a win-win.

 

[tortoise]

HTF scenarios. Not that I think it will happen with this, but thinking about what we would do if our food supply was compromised, what if there was an outbreak and we needed to isolate ourselves? Interesting thoughts. I have a few things to change to be prepared for situations like that.

This is on my mind this year since I don't have a canning stash. I'm down to 5 pints of chicken. In reality, I would get serious about growing greens in my windows and we would become almost carnivore, eating out of the freezer. Doesn't sound pleasant, but we could do it.

I hope for better gardening season in 2020 so I can preserve more food and I'll keep shopping the discount produce in hopes of scoring large amounts [of foods we prefer] for preserving.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Last time I got the flu shot, I had respiratory flu twice that winter. have not had the flu shot since then, and have been healthy since then! If I get a respiratory illness, it usually kicks me hard in the lungs, and I end up on antibiotics to treat secondary bronchitis. In no way, am I recommending that folks NOT get the flu shot.

But, it seems to be VERY hit or miss re: whether they actually pick the right strains to put into the current season's "flu virus soup." When I worked at a SNF, they required all staff to get flu shot or wear a mask Nov - April. And, they required all patients to get the flu shot, though they COULD sign a refusal waiver. In spite of that, the whole building would go into lock down for about a total of 2 months due to flu outbreaks that spread like wild fire through the resident population.

Therefore, it's been my observation that the flu shot is a flimsy insurance policy.

 

[baymule]

Antibiotics won't hit a virus. You must mean vaccine. I never take a flu shot, never have and never will. I prefer to stay as healthy as I can and while I have a few anti virals, I am going to step it up.

I have sida rhombifolia growing here, it is antiviral.

Sida rhombifolia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I dug up a Mullein plant a couple of years ago and now have 5 plants growing here.

Green sweet gum balls are antiviral and there are trees here.

There is a wild stand of echinacea near by

I want to make a herb garden for medicinal purposes. I have herbal books that tell how to make tinctures, and how to use herbs and weeds.

Modern medicine is a marvel and a wonderous thing, I am not discounting it at all. There are some things that even modern medicine can't touch, so why not educate ourselves? Maybe we can help our own selves and others too.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

We take so much for granted here. We can go to the store and buy pretty much anything we want. Most American consumers buy what fancies their taste buds at the moment, without regard to price, whether that item might be seasonal, local or shipped from across the world. And, if they don't have a job that provides that luxury, government hand out does provide that luxury for many. Folks in other countries don't have the same options. Limited income, limited food availability, no government hand outs, no refrigeration. There may very well come a time when we face the same issues. Good ol' US of A can not continue the current course of behavior and expect God's continued blessing on our nation. We are headed for rough times.

 

[creativetwinszoo]

🤢 That bat did not look pleasant and given its size I just dont think itd be worth the effort even if I was really, desperatly hungry.

Also just curious knowing that snakes might carry it, would thoroughly cooking the meat kill off the disease (like with pork)? Or is that an unknown currently??

Adding in that If a really serious shtf situation happens as more people get desperate to eat there will be less qualms about (someone else's words I heard at school recently) "eating some weird a** animals and sh*t."

 

[CrealCritter]

@tortoise Stock up on foods that y'all eat and rotate them. A bucket of beans, rice, macaroni, and such may not be a gustatory delight, but would keep you alive. I have a 5 gallon bucket of beans that has gotten old. Still edible, but needs to go. So when I raise feeder pigs this year, I'll cook up those beans, then restock with fresh beans. LOL LOL

Another thing to consider is to keep plenty of canning lids.

Bat soup. Gross.

Yes and fishing/hunting.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Unless it is a prion, proper cooking will kill it. Mad Cow, and it's "cousin" Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are prions. I also suspect that the other neurological wasting diseases common to hoofed game animals are. Though... that is speculation on my part.

And you all raise a good point that the tight quarters, with multi species live animals being sold at these open air markets pose a great risk for disease transmission.

As for myself, I plan to lay in some beans and flour for short term. Also need to get on the stick, and choose/order a grain grinder. This might be a good year to raise some meaties.

 

[tortoise]

Another thing to consider is to keep plenty of canning lids.

yes! Very much this! ^^ My brother gave me some reusable Tattler lids. I haven't tried them yet. Most are regular mouth and all my jars are wide mouth. So... I am not sure. Do I want the ease of all one size more than I want reusable canning jar lids?