Fourth Horseman Arrives #2

Again, time to dust off your epidemic disaster plan. Today, let's briefly go over good shopping for epidemic handling gear in re: killing the little monsters that threaten to wipe us out. A shopping tip; buy hospital grade disinfectants. These are disinfectants that can kill "tough" or common dangerous pathogens such as tuberculosis (hard to kill), salmonella, pseudomonas (common cause of "stenches" and wound infections), and e. coli. Check the label to see that it kills cold/flu viruses, polio (tough to kill), hepatitis B (also tough), etc.



First, let's get on the same page. For our purposes, there are three levels to epidemic germ killing: sterilization, disinfection, and sanitizing. Sterilization kills all microorganisms but it is nearly impossible for us to sterilize an area except for using a flamethrower or nuking the site from orbit. What you do need to sterilize are surgical instruments that will be introduced into normally sterile areas of the body and wound dressings.

Disinfection kills all except spores. Read labels to find out how long a disinfectant must be [wet] in contact with the surface to kill the germs. For survivalists, disinfection can be done if enough time, usually about ten minutes, is available. But if you need to disinfect quickly, use an disinfectant such as Discide Ultra wipes that does the job in about a minute or two.

Finally, there is sanitizing, killing a significant number of germs on the surface. This can be done relatively easily and quickly. Remember that precleaning the surface is important and allow enough contact time, per label directions.


Proper usage of disinfectants is simple, dangerously so. Label directions must be followed; if it says it kills the pathogens after a ten minute contact time, then you must keeep the surface wet for ten minutes, not just swipe the surface with the magic potion and rag. If you need a product which kills pathogens in under one minute, buy that product. Examples follow below. Gloves should be worn when disinfecting; all of the ingredients which follow are damaging to skin, opening the way for infection of the operator.


There are several ingredients that are effective disinfectants. Alcohol “kills all” if given a long enough contact time. Under real world conditions, the only ways to provide the contact time are to either immerse the piece in the solution or soak the surface with alcohol, then lay alcohol soaked paper towels or rags onto the surface and then let them dry naturally. For disinfection, a 70% solution works better than a 91+% solution. The downside of using alcohol is: the flammability, poor contact time, and severe hand drying when used as a hand sanitizer.


Quat ammonium compounds are the most common disinfectants in the USA. They “kill all” pretty well , are relatively non-toxic, and most are also detergents. On the downside; it is imperative that the surface to be disinfected be vigorously “scrubbed” as these agents have poor penetration, just spraying the surface and leaving it to dry will at best sanitize and deodorize the surface. Popular brands: many, Lysol IC brand is a good brand, Cavicide is another, Discide Ultra is a quat ammonium plus alcohol for fast knockdown.


Phenol based compounds have some great advantages: they are active even in the presence of [some] soil or blood, they have a residual action on the surface, and tend to be capable of killing the “worst of the worst” such as hepatitis, polio, or TB easily. On the downside; they are very toxic, especially to infants and felines, and they tend to have the worst smell compared to other agents. Examples: Lysol IC's spray, Citrace ( made by Caltech, an exception to the fetor downside), Precise (also by Caltech, a cleaner-disinfectant), LpHse (Gemco Medical, a concentrate).


Chlorine-based, the superstar of the day! The 10% solution is the best choice, 1:9; bleach to water. Very inexpensive (ca 8 cents/gallon or less), good “all kill”, easy to mix from concentrate. The downside; must be mixed fresh daily—especially if exposed to sunlight, tends to corrode metal, damage fabric, irritate hands, is a common asthma trigger,and is notorious for being inactivated if any organic matter remains on the surface to be disinfected.

CDC and the like recommend use of it, but think about it, they ask you to rely on an agent which is easily inactivated by organic matter, unless used in a strong 1:9 solution, so then you might cut corners when using it, it is then ineffective, more contagion results, more die, the NWO wins, we lose.


Good infection control practice also requires good habits. Clean and de-germ surfaces between patients/events. Universal precautions are the standard, treat everyone and everything as if they are a carrier of an infectious disease. In normal everyday life, this would rapidly cut our productivity. Under normal conditions, we must at minimum, use good handwashing procedures and keep common surfaces clean and sanitized. Under pandemic conditions, then we treat our living space as if it is the waiting room of a clinic which sees TB, AIDS, plague, and ebola patients regularly.


The other important practice is simple detective work. What surfaces might the individual carrier have touched? Plenty of sunlight in rooms and good ventilation help put paid to TB and flu. Consider using disposable covers on commonly contacted surfaces; for example, put plastic bags over door handles, discard and change bag after event is over or newspaper on dining tables. Remember that there are only three ways to reliably sanitize laundry: wash with bleach, dry for at least 20 minutes at 190° in a dryer, or hang out in full sunlight for 12 hours or more after thorough washing.

Here's a relatively low key infection control (IC) protocol as an example: when going into town, wear a pair of gloves for your errands. Either change gloves between stops (and sanitize car/truck door handles, gear shift, etc.) or remove the gloves before re entering your vehicle and sanitize the gloves between stops. If eating at a restaurant, santize your tabletop and silverware yourself. Get a table at least 6 feet from any one else. have monies easily available from a pocket for paying bill, etc. Use hand santizer before re entering your home.

Plan for IC, plan for nursing care, practice healthy habits (handwashing, etc.),and focus on good intelligence (not wild rumor). Here's a link from CDC to help get you started with your plan. And remember, it is up to you to save yourself and your family, not Dear Leader nor the Ministry of Truth. Stay up to date on new information, implement your plan early as the flu has a "lag "[incubation period] time.