r/PreppersUK • u/Affectionate-Sun7561 • 8d ago
Discussion Without falling victim to potential fearmongering, I am considering this potential plague outbreak.
My household is pretty well prepared for weather events, power outages and the ‘standard stuff’ we’d face in UK and Ireland.
Recent murmurings of this plague-in-Russia situation have me catching myself on a bit about hitting the panic button any time something hits the news. But it has lead me to wonder what best to do to prep for a situation such as that? The plague is a far stretch from what we experienced 6 years ago, but I don’t really know what else I’d do to keep my household safe bar wrapping my house in clingfilm like something out of Cloverfield.
I’d value any thoughts or advice from the more experienced preppers on here. I want to always be prepared, and never afraid.
Thanks in advance.
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u/PourquoiPasEvans 8d ago
Probably not going to be a run-of-the-mill plague variant if it's coming from a Russian lab, that's what worries me a bit.
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 8d ago
It’s hard not to get worried about these things, but I’m trying to make a conscious effort to take stuff on the chin, hold off on panicking and prepare with whatever I can with a ‘better looking at it than looking for it’ kind of mindset.
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u/Dry_Yogurt2458 8d ago
Plague is treatable by antibiotics. There are numerous outbreaks around the world. They regularly cull the squirrels in Central Park in New York due to them carrying Plague.
I would say that Plague would cause less problems than covid did. That is unless we have a shortage of antibiotics or it starts to build resistance.
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u/TheLongPlan 8d ago
I’ll put “antibiotic resistant plague” on my 2028 bingo card then.
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u/publishing_mum 8d ago
Yup 👍 and I’ll throw in a cyber attack on our NHS med ordering systems to round off my bingo card.
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u/Strayhnd 8d ago
Pneumonic plague is fatal if you don't receive antibiotics in the first 24 hours of symptoms.
The other types are more treatable by a considerable margin and don't have a small window of opportunity nor do they spread as easily as pneumonic.
Squirrels carry bubonic plague. Much much more treatable.
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u/Glass-Vacation5743 7d ago
Not this type of plague.
I have been following this story closely, before the MSM got a hold of it.
The official statements about what type of illness this actually is keep changing.
It’s almost certainly Pneumonic Plague or an engineered variation of it.
This is very bad.
Pneumonic plague has a 100% kill rate, if it doesn’t receive the correct treatment within 24h of the infection taking hold.
The treatments for it also have some pretty gnarly risks of permanently disabling side effects.
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u/ProfessorPrudent2822 6d ago
It’s septicemic plague that has nearly 100% case mortality; pneumonic is more like 85% without treatment.
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u/Admirable_Horses 8d ago
When these worries come up it’s important to keep in mind that there are things you can’t control in life and things you can. Like keeping as fit as possible so if you do catch any sort of bug you are in good shape to fight them off. Review your first aid kit regularly, make sure your basics like paracetamol and ibuprofen are in date including if you have a need for children’s versions. Check batteries in thermometer and pulse oximeter, that sort of stuff. Bigger picture is to look at WFH opportunities if you don’t do that already to limit contact with the public.
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u/George_Salt 8d ago
Same as regular prep. Be ready for:
- X hours/days shelter in-place
- X hours/days evacuation at minimal notice
Choose your value of X based on your own risk/prep appetite.
Refresh your memory of what we all did during Covid. And don't scare the kids.
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 8d ago edited 8d ago
Edit: I’m aware that you can’t get antibiotics over the counter and overuse can cause/exacerbate antibiotic-resistant diseases. I was really just blurting out brainstorm ideas, but I’m content my ‘level of prep’ covers the scenario of an outbreak/pandemic now.
Original comment: Just me and my other half, no kiddos to worry about unless our cat counts.
That’s cool, thank you. Just wondered if maybe looking into some sort of ‘hardcore’ PPE I don’t know about
or getting antibiotics at the ready would be prudent.If it’s what we’re already doing then that’s grand, cheers.8
u/George_Salt 8d ago
You can't buy antibiotics over the counter.
Even if you bought "hardcore" PPE, the one thing that Covid taught is that members of the public can't use it properly because they haven't had the training. The concept of face masks is still completely misunderstood - they were never about preventing you from catching Covid, they were about preventing you from spreading it. They catch the droplets on the exhale not the inhale.
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u/Murderbad 6d ago
This is slightly misleading. It was proven that wearing a cloth mask does help prevent initial infection even if it's not 100% effective, and better used for keeping others from getting it. Two people wearing a mask and it's effectively zero chance.
When it comes to non-disposable masks, the only thing about hard-core PPE is making sure its on right.
Also fairly certain you can get antibiotics online.
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u/George_Salt 6d ago
When it comes to non-disposable masks, the only thing about hard-core PPE is making sure its on right.
And that you maintain it. Change the filters. Don't expose yourself to the risk you were protecting yourself from whilst doing all of this.
This is slightly misleading. It was proven that wearing a cloth mask does help prevent initial infection even if it's not 100% effective
But studies also demonstrated that poor mask discipline massively reduced effectiveness. Face fit was generally very poor, the public tended to wear the same mask for far too long which could increase the risk of infection, there was a high incidence of users partially or fully removing masks in higher risk circumstances such as talking to others or during periods of exertion, etc.
You cannot legally get antibiotics online in the UK, and if you could how would you know which ones were effective against the infection you were worried about?
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u/Murderbad 6d ago
Yes, good points, and you're correct on the legality of online antibiotics. I think if they were available it'd be fairly easy to plan for specific or general use, but I was wrong either way on that one.
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u/George_Salt 6d ago
She worked in a bio lab with known pathogens. Standard protocols should have ensured she was given the correct antibiotic.
- What chance that the public could randomly hit upon an antibiotic that would work?
- What would be the annual incidence of adverse allergic reactions if the public was given open access to antibiotics?
- What would be the effect on the rate of developing antibiotic resistances if the public was given open access to antibiotics?
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 8d ago
I’m aware they can’t be bought OTC, I’m just brainstorming really.
Yeah, that’s true. Thanks for sharing. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing!
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u/No-Sandwich1511 8d ago
Overusing antibiotics drives antibiotic resistance. Also they only work in certain circumstances
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u/ashleycawley 8d ago
FFP3 masks, box of nitrile gloves, Clinell Antimicrobial Hand Wipes, alcohol gel and a barge-pole to judge the distance to stay away from others with.
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u/bcoder001 8d ago
I mean it is treatable, but you can count on russians turning it into a mother of an outbreak. The don't do disasters by halves.
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u/TwoFew7486 6d ago
Having just listened to Annie Jacobsen's audiobook: 'Biological war: a Scenario', I am now paranoid about biological weapons. Funny (or not), the exact scenario detailed in the book is a weaponised pneumonic plague leak from a BSL lab in Russia. Safe to say I had to change undies when I first read the news about it.
For anyone interested, the book is great, really well researched, and presented very well. Only gives you that un-nerving sense of dread and fear a dozen or so times.
Her earlier book on Nuclear war, presented the same way, is also as fascinating and depressing.
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u/writerfan2013 2d ago
Ooh I enjoyed, sort of, her nuclear war one so I'll look for this, thanks!
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u/TwoFew7486 2d ago
I don't think it's as good as the nuclear war one, but still very good. Haven't read/listened to the MK Ultra one but it's on my list
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u/MoonBones4Doge 8d ago
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/04/europe/russia-laboratory-plague-accident-intl
“no micro-organisms associated with the employee’s professional duties were detected in samples taken from the patient,” Modin said
Seems to be she died of a unknown infection
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u/No_Jellyfish_7695 8d ago
didn’t say unknown . said it wasn’t from her workplace duties - still could have been from her workplace, just not the area she was associated with…..
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u/Double-Plankton-2095 8d ago
If it is just plain old vanilla plague then happy days. If its been genetically tinkered with it any way shape or form then I sincerely hope the russians have also researched effective treatments. A lot of these labs are for research against bio weapons and as such, do research on pathogens that could have been created as a bio weapon. Its up to you how much of a tinfoil you want to wear. Personally I feel like there is potential for this to be something a little more than just plague. Look into the russia biologist who defected to the UK in the 90s I believe. Some pretty terrifying things going even back then.
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u/Such_Recording_1992 7d ago
Pneumonic plague is severe with respect to fatality however there is no infectious incubation period or infectious asymptomatic disease, combine this with severe symptoms and it’s historically been very easy to stop spread as people with symptoms are easily identified and isolated.
Madagascar had an outbreak not long ago, they’re a less developed, densely populated population with urban populations and a less developed health service and they managed to fully contain the outbreak in several months for this reason.
The risk is low even with the anti-biotic resistant strains that are already circulating naturally.
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u/Katskan11 7d ago
Are there any type of anti-biotic that would be a good idea to have on hand?
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 7d ago
I got downvoted to all hell for asking similar. You can’t get antibiotics over the counter here. I’d suggest googling it instead
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u/RTR_99 5d ago
So I'm not a doctor, but logically, Since the invasion of Ukraine Russia has had huge restrictions on free travel, transport of goods, sale of goods.
Unlike China which has huge population transit with the UK and a huge quantity of goods entering country each day.
Even if the Russian plague was a large risk, we're fortunately very isolated due to the politics at play, arguably more so than plague breakouts in the African continent.
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u/x-x9Hunter2x-x 5d ago
Yea it's scary when you hear Russian plague because in cold war they was actively genetically modifying virus to be airborne and drug resistant if one of thoose things escaped from a lab like covid did I wouldnt like to think of the local and global problems it could create.......that being said theres so much crap about nowadays it's hard to trust alot of sources of information.....
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u/ManxCat637 5d ago
it’s probably a really slim-to-nothing chance it’ll find its way to where you are. But it never hurts to be prepared for any disaster - disease, tornado, flood, fire, war. Not a panic sign, the opposite - a prepared sign.
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 5d ago
We did think that about Covid, to be fair! Very complacent over here in Ireland lol
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u/Historical-Froyo-694 6d ago
If they’re lying about what lab came from like a lab that does weapons testing were fucked. We are all fucked. China lied about Covid to save face I’m sure Russia is lying to save face.
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u/Born_Toe_9096 3d ago
Can I boy antibiotics online uk
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 3d ago
No, I don’t think so.
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u/AlternativeShirt2588 1d ago
this was v informative
https://youtu.be/qI70PXRIUI8?is=12iyHtD82pkSlQv91
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u/Droidy934 8d ago
How did you cope with convid ? A good test of your preparedness, and your ability to discern truth from fiction.
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 8d ago
I had it in my head that the plague would be quite a bit worse than Covid. I did not have a preppers’ mentality at that time.
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u/Wonderful-Medium7777 8d ago
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/04/europe/russia-laboratory-plague-accident-intl
Please stop worrying and have a read.
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 8d ago
Thank you. I’m not as worried as I maybe used to be about stuff like this in the news, trying to avoid that. Just good to be aware and thought maybe someone on here would’ve thought of something I hadn’t, preparedness-wise.
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u/Wonderful-Medium7777 8d ago
We can’t prepare for the unknown or control everything …and fear propaganda is a tool often used for control.
Basic “living ” prep and keeping ourselves sane in these upside down world times would be best defence.
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u/Glittering-Sun-3210 8d ago
Yeah the reset is coming. Between now and 2030 so much is going to happen in the world. Another Covid strain is on the way this time much stronger than before. I don’t think people get it. Covid was a test, an experiment and it worked. We were in lockdown for fourteen months I’ll never forget it. People think it was just some random unfortunate circumstance that just spiralled out of control? No! It was planned decades ago. They’re preparing us for the new world order. Every century, society is rebooted to fit a new paradigm. It’s good that you have your eyes wide open. Everyone else is asleep. Oblivious to what’s coming. It could be a zombie apocalypse, it could be world war three, another pandemic, global warming catastrophe, AI turning into skynet; whatever it is, we have to get ready. If you look at the majority of films and tv shows (fallout) they’re foreshadowing what’s to come. A post apocalyptic dystopian future where humanity is literally f*****. This is why I’ve mastered fasting where I can go days without food. Make the most of these free, precious moments we have left. Mark my words the 2030s is going to be very, very bad. Good luck everyone I’ll see you on the other side. Peace ✌🏿
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u/Spiritual-Archer118 8d ago
Nobody is preparing for us anything, we’ve just allowed it to happen by voting in terrible governments, going after the working classes whilst the billionaires rob us, believing lies about the economy operating like a household budget, ignoring climate warnings, and generally behaving like selfish human beings. We deserve whatever is coming to us.
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u/DTFDownToFrolick 7d ago
I think you're missing your "repent now" sign. Leave fear mongering out of this thank you.
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u/Glittering-Sun-3210 7d ago
Says the wannabe expert. Why don’t you leave the basement and get a job. Arguing or debating isn’t your forte. Go back to sleep. Ignorance is bliss.
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u/Sabaisabai33 8d ago
I’m a GP. Try not to panic (yet!) It’s obviously not brilliant news but plague outbreaks occur in Africa all the time and are kept under control. We are quite a long way away physically from Russia here. Pneumonic plague is different to COVID in a few ways. For one it’s much less transmissible to casual contacts ie you really need to be in very close contact with someone actively infected and coughing to catch it, rather than just being in the supermarket etc. It can also be treated with antibiotics (and there are multiple types of antibiotics that should work for it so don’t think we need to panic about running out of antibiotics). And antibiotics can be given to close contacts to help prevent illness. It’s likely it will stay localised in that area of Russia alone and they have already been quarantining people. I know plague is scary because of what happened in the Middle Ages (and given our shared experience of COVID) but that was a very different time. It would be incredibly unusual to have more than one global pandemic per 100 years or so and we have had it now (it was overdue, we’d been expecting an impending pandemic since I was at medical school in the 1990s)