Let me just start out here by saying I hope we never have to go through anything like the COVID pandemic ever again.
I remember exactly where I was when I found out the world was shutting down. It was my uncle Tommy’s funeral, and we were at dinner after the service at Salvinos in Selden.
The waitress walked over with the check and said “Well, looks like I’m out of a job. We’re closing tomorrow.” Everyone dug a little deeper and we gave her the best tip she probably ever got.
Looking around the table at my cousins, aunts, uncles and in-laws, I don’t think any of us knew exactly what that meant at the time or that our lives were about to change very quickly.
The next day, I drove by Trader Joe’s and there was a line of people wrapped around the entire building. The only reason I ever went there was to get their peanut butter dog biscuits for my dog at the time, James Wagsey. He didn’t get them again for months.
It was the same story at ShopRite, Stop & Shop and all the grocery stores. Long lines, a limited number of people let in at one time, empty shelves, and scared, angry people fighting over a loaf of white bread or the last can of soup.
Then there was the toilet paper hoarding issue.
A lot of people found themselves not knowing when they’d be going back to work again. I was at Publishers Clearing House then and was lucky because I could work from home. My wife, working at New York Sports Club, was not so lucky.
Schools closed, businesses shut their doors and staying home was suddenly the new normal. And wearing a mask when you did venture outside was normal. Terrible, but normal.
I can honestly say I was not prepared for all the challenges the COVID pandemic brought. But that whole mess was a wake-up call, and I don’t ever want to feel that unprepared again.
Why Prepare for Another Pandemic?
Now, I don’t think we’re going to see a real-life “Bring Out Your Dead” scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But another situation that turns life upside down the way COVID did wouldn’t surprise me.
Maybe not tomorrow or even five years from now. But new viruses are popping up every year, and the flu and other old viruses keep mutating into new strains.
I feel like CVS texts me every week about another vaccine.
My daughter is 22 and hardly ever gets sick. This past January, she was bedridden for almost two weeks with the flu. She was so weak, she could barely lift her head to take a sip of water or chicken soup.
It’s strange to think that something as common as the flu once killed millions of people. But it did. And you could say, “Well, that was over a hundred years ago.”
OK, then circling back only six years to COVID, I don’t think it’s so crazy to think something like that can happen again.
And that’s exactly why I want to be as prepared as I can be.
Create a Self-Quarantine Plan Before You Need It
Quarantining was awful. I remember looking outside, seeing the sun shining and thinking, “What are we doing?”
And at first, I was resistant. We had my friend Rob and his wife over for dinner outside. Everything was outside. We laughed and had some drinks. Two days later I got a text from him saying that he had COVID.
I tested positive the next day. I didn’t have any symptoms, but he was in bed for weeks. I still feel guilty because I think I gave it to him. I mean, maybe not, but maybe so.
After that, we followed the quarantine protocol. We even had a Zoom Easter that year.
Thinking about today, could your family stay home for two weeks? Do you have enough prescription meds? What if the dog runs out of food?
Is there somewhere quiet you can use as a home office? Is the Wi-Fi strong enough for everyone when one or two people are working from home? Is there entertainment for the kids if there is no Wi-Fi?
There are a lot of questions like these I didn’t have answers for last time around.
Build a Solid Food Supply
You remember all those empty shelves during COVID. We weren’t going hungry, but it was frustrating for sure. And sometimes it felt like eggs and steak were a luxury.
Standing in front of an empty pasta aisle, I thought back to my aunt Donna. I would stay with her for a week in the summer when I was little and she would go to the market almost every day to get what she needed to make dinner.
She would have had a very rough time during COVID.
I was actually in pretty good shape here. My pantry is always stocked with beans, rice, soups and stews, pasta, canned veggies, oatmeal, peanut butter, evaporated milk and similar items we use a lot.
And I also keep plenty of water stored, more than enough for my family for over a month.
Think about what your family likes to eat and foods that have a pretty long shelf life. What ingredients can you combine to create a variety of meals.
I don’t buy cases of food at a time anymore, like I did in my younger years. I’ve smartened up a bit and just add a few cans of beans here and a few boxes of pasta there, almost always when they are on sale.
You’ll have a fully stocked pantry before you know it if you take the same route.
Don’t Forget Prescription Medications
I used to have a very bad habit of waiting until I only had a few blood pressure or acid reflux pills left before calling my doctor to get a refill.
That changed after COVID. I never missed a day of the blood pressure meds, but I missed weeks of the acid reflux because they couldn’t get it in stock and I was miserable.
Now, as soon as a refill is available, I get it.
The same goes for over-the-counter medications. Pain relievers, fever reducers and cough meds are the big three for my house. We have a few boxes or containers of each.
Don’t forget your pets either. James Wagsey was on more meds than anyone in the family at the time. Our local vet, Best Friends, was amazing and actually would call me a week or so in advance to fill the prescription.
But I know not everyone was as lucky.
Then There’s the Basics
It’s funny, there are things I just reach for and they are always there. Shaving cream, soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent, toilet paper.
Until I started sweating because we were down to the last few rolls of toilet paper.
Since then, I’ll add a few extra items to my weekly grocery shopping list when they are on sale and keep a decent supply.
It’s definitely not hoarding, but my wife may tell you it’s borderline. I’ll disagree, but I also have a large basement to stash things in. If you’re living in a small apartment. Your storage situation may be somewhat different.
Look At Your Finances
Building an emergency fund is tough when life happens. For years, we were living paycheck to paycheck even though I was doing pretty well at the time.
My uncle Jim is the finance guy in the family. He set up my life insurance and Roth IRA, but every time we got to talking, he would ask about my “emergency fund.” The one I didn’t have.
I finally listened and started putting away twenty-five dollars a week. You’d be surprised how fast that adds up.
During COVID, our income took a big hit with my wife being out of work. We were able to dip into that fund and not really feel it too badly.
Know Where You’ll Get Your Information
Conflicting stories, misinformation, and rumors were rampant during COVID.
I would mostly look to the WHO or CDC for information or News 12, my local news channel.
A lot of news channels have their own agenda. What I want is just the facts.
That’s probably why I avoided social media like the plague as well, and that’s something I guarantee I would do again.
Prepare for Mental Fatigue
Quarantining itself is draining. And during a pandemic, it seems like it’s just a constant flow of one bad thing after another.
Vegetable gardening really helped me get through COVID. I would spend hours every day in my garden, tending to the plants, building new trellises, and I didn’t even mind weeding. Well, maybe a little.
I even spent time in the garden the first time I had COVID.
Whatever your hobby is, it can really help pass the time and make you forget about all the dreariness for a while.
Then there are books, board games, card games and puzzles. I think I did more puzzles and played more gin rummy in 2020 than I had in the rest of my life combined.
Final Thoughts
I hope we never have to deal with another pandemic. I really do.
But if we do, I know that I’ll be sitting at home with a stocked pantry, the meds we need and a solid plan. And my vegetable garden will be the best it has been in years.
If I learned anything from the COVID pandemic, it’s that being prepared is really about being able to take care of the people you love when things don’t go according to plan.
And not standing in line for two hours at Trader Joe’s only to find out they’re out of peanut butter dog biscuits.
About the Author: Anthony Vion is a lifelong prepper from Long Island, NY, with decades of hands-on experience in self-reliance and practical skill-building. He writes about everyday prepping in a straightforward, realistic way, with a focus on simple steps that help families stay ready for the unexpected.
This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only and reflects the author’s personal experiences and preparedness practices. It is not medical, public health, or professional advice. Always follow guidance from your healthcare provider and local public health officials regarding medical decisions and emergency preparedness.
