Currency during a pandemic ...

[JohnKent]

I do all the shopping and I buy loads of stuff from abroad, so I am quite aware of the diminishing value of the pound !. The end result is that I have little faith in the long term value of holding my 'wealth' in pounds and pence which can only reduce in value while they sit in the bank. So it occurred to me I needed to look for an alternative form of 'currency', which would do the opposite and increase in value as the situation gets worse. OK I have done that and in the process solved the question of what happens to money in a pandemic.

It has been proven that the various strains of birdflu virus can remain live on surfaces for up to two months depending upon the level of humidity. Now just imagine that if you were allowed to visit supermarkets and shops ... the most handled, coughed and sneezed upon items that will pass from hand to hand is going to be money !. All that lovely paper money that can absorb other peoples airbourne virus droplets (remember the six foot sneeze?), store it and then keep it nice and safe until you get it as change, which is where you get more back than you bargained for.

I had to smile the other day when someone suggested that there are hand wipes that kill 99% of all known germs .... except none of them have been tested on the worlds most deadly and virilent virus ... simply because the virus has not reached the ultimate mutation ... yet. It was interesting to note that during the last birdflu pandemic scare, There was only a single disinfectant recommended by DEFRA to combat H5N1 and that was Virkon ... if you can find it !. (The 10% bleach and Virkon you can get from Scatts, but remember the contaminated object needs at least a 20 minute immersion to kill the virus).

Well, if things develop the way I expect them to, you won't have to worry about virus contaminated money. What you could think about is how you can convert whatever de-valuing 'currency' you now use, into something tangible that will increase in value over the short and long term. No, it is not gold, silver, or tins of beans, but hidden away at the back of your mind is an answer that is peculiar to you. What can you legally buy right now and sell for four times the price tomorrow ?. Whatever it is, don't tell anyone about it, just do it !.

[Metroyeti]

I hate it when I see people putting money in there mouth, I just think of all the people who never wash there hands so its a safe bet faecial matters on there. Also dont 2/3 of notes have traces of drugs on them.

[JohnKent]

Oh dear, but since you brought up the subject of 'shit', it is a problem greater than we can imagine. H5N1 has come to an accomadation with certain species of wader birds, in that it can infect every part of the bird, but will not kill them. This leaves the infected birds to live, cover great distances and spread the virus. It means that if a duck craps on your lawn, it is infected for perhaps months. Now imagine the case where children, or grand children play ball on that lawn. What are the chances the childs hands will be effectively disinfected before they put a finger into their mouth ?. Then along comes the grandparent ... with a lawn mower turning infected droppings into a deadly aerosol, which can be breathed in and also propogated by the wind.

In any civil uprising ... someone has control. When H5N1 teams up with H1N1 .... no one has control.

[Mortblanc]

So, what is the solution?

I see imagined senerios and complex riddles with no real "advice" being offered.

[JohnKent]

(12 March 2013, 23:08)Mortblanc Wrote: So, what is the solution?

I see imagined senerios and complex riddles with no real "advice" being offered.

It is a complex subject that I fear prepper's may find too difficult to come to terms with. To be quite honest it is not a problem that affects me, because of my age. The highest mortality rate for the last mutation was with infants and by the time one is 40, the mortality rate drops to almost zero.

If you would like to get taste of the problem confronting humanity, have a look at ... http://bbirdfluuk.runboard.com/

[Skean Dhude]

I'm going to develop a spray that will kill 1% of germs and corner the market.

[Highlander]

(13 March 2013, 00:47)Skean Dhude Wrote: I'm going to develop a spray that will kill 1% of germs and corner the market.

[bigpaul]

just stay out of the shops and away from people...problem solved!

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isnt this why we prep? for just such a risk as this?

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its certainly ONE of the reasons i prep!

[JohnKent]

@BigPaul,

"isnt this why we prep? for just such a risk as this?"

I thought about your question and came to the conclusion I don't have a clue which of the possible disasters people are prepping for. Has anyone ever carried out a poll on this ?.

[BeardyMan]

(12 March 2013, 22:12)JohnKent Wrote: What you could think about is how you can convert whatever de-valuing 'currency' you now use, into something tangible that will increase in value over the short and long term. No, it is not gold, silver, or tins of beans, but hidden away at the back of your mind is an answer that is peculiar to you. What can you legally buy right now and sell for four times the price tomorrow ?. Whatever it is, don't tell anyone about it, just do it !.

Are you going to share the wealth and let us in on your little secret then?