(KTVX) – As 2021 progresses amid a global pandemic, questions about a possible zombie apocalypse are swarming the internet.
According to Nostradamus, 2021 will be packed with events that will forever shape the future of humanity.
Nostradamus was born in the 16th century and was best known for his book “Les Prophéties,” a collection of prophecies he made. The French physician would express prophecies in verses, called quatrains. Many of his predictions later illustrated the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the Second World War.
He predicted that in 2021, a scientist would create a biological weapon and produce a virus that can turn humankind into zombies (as interpreted by astrologists).
“Few young people: half−dead to give a start. Dead through spite, he will cause the others to shine, And in an exalted place some great evils to occur: Sad concepts will come to harm each one, Temporal dignified, the Mass to succeed. Fathers and mothers dead of infinite sorrows, Women in mourning, the pestilent she−monster: The Great One to be no more, all the world to end.”
– Nostradamus
To help calm qualms and concerns, the Center of Disease and Control and Preparedness shares tips on how you can be “zombie ready” in case of a sudden outbreak.
“Wonder why zombies, zombie apocalypse, and zombie preparedness continue to live or walk dead on a CDC website? Well as it turns out what first began as a tongue-in-cheek campaign to engage new audiences with preparedness messages has proven to be a very effective platform,” the CDC writes. “We will continue to reach and engage a wide variety of audiences on all-hazards preparedness.”
According to the CDC, it’s best to be prepared for the possibility of a zombie apocalypse just as you would for any other disaster.
“There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example,” according to a CDC blog post. “You may laugh now, but when it happens you’ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency.”
The CDC says the first thing you need to do is to prepare an emergency kit. This includes things such as water, food and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp, or in the event of a natural disaster, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or until utility lines are restored.
Below are a few items you should include in your kit:
- Water (1 gallon per person per day)
- Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)
- Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)
- Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery-powered radio, etc.)
- Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)
- Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)
- Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)
- First Aid supplies (although you’re a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane)
For a full list, visit the CDC Emergency page.
Once you’ve made your emergency kit, the CDC recommends that families gather together to come up with an emergency plan.
“This includes where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your doorstep,” the CDC informs. “You can also implement this plan if there is a flood, earthquake, or another emergency.”
- Identify the types of emergencies that are possible in your area. Besides a zombie apocalypse, this may include floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes. If you are unsure, contact your local Red Cross chapter for more information.
2. Pick a meeting place for your family to gather in case zombies invade your home … or if your town evacuates because of a hurricane. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away.
3. Identify your emergency contacts. Make a list of local contacts such as the police, fire department, and your local zombie response team. Also, identify an out-of-state contact that you can call during an emergency to let the rest of your family know you are OK.
4. Plan your evacuation route. When zombies are hungry, they won’t stop until they get food (i.e., brains), which means you need to get out of town fast. Plan where you would go and multiple routes you would take ahead of time so that the flesh eaters don’t have a chance. This is also helpful when natural disasters strike and you have to take shelter fast.
According to CDC officials, if zombies ever did start roaming the streets, the agency would conduct an investigation much like one for any other disease outbreak. The CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine).
“An investigation of this scenario would likely seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated,” the CDC informs. “Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas.”
To learn more about what CDC does to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds, visit http://emergency.cdc.gov/cdc/orgs_progs.asp.
And to learn more about how you can prepare for and stay safe during an emergency visit, http://emergency.cdc.gov/.
You can also join the CDC Zombie Task Force. The CDC Foundation, a non-profit partner of the CDC is offering Zombie Task Force T-shirts. Proceeds go to disaster relief efforts and other important health programs. Get yours before they’re gone.