6. Stock up on Food & Water. Supermarkets only have enough food for about a week or less. It's critical that you stock up on enough food to last you for the duration which could be 3-4 months.

7. Buy Enough Anti-Viral Medication for Every Member of your Family. Currently there are two drugs that can help mitigate the effects of the avian flu virus. One is called oseltamivir, or Tamiflu. It comes in a tablet form. The other is zanamivir, or Relenza, which is inhaled. You will need a prescription for either of these drugs. They should be taken within 2 days of the onset of symptoms and taken twice a day for 5 days. These drugs are in very short supply, especially Tamiflu which is considered the drug of first choice. You should attempt to secure enough for your family as soon as possible, since once a pandemic hits they will be impossible to obtain. Currently you should be able to buy them at your drug store, or you can order them online.

8. Stock up on Face Masks. You will need to wear these when you absolutely have to come into close contact with others. It's likely that any public businesses or government offices that remain open will make it mandatory that you wear a mask before entering. Make sure that your mask has a rating of N100. The more common N95 masks will not give you enough protection.

There is one mask -- the NanoMask? -- which not only blocks the H5N1 virus, but kills it as well.

9. Exercise. According to the American Council on Exercise, research has shown that moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) brings about measurable changes in the immune system, sending white blood cells zipping around the body to find intruders and kill them. But after a few hours, the immune system returns to normal so it's best to exercise regularly.

10. Spread the Word. Regardless of how much coverage the avian threat is receiving in the media, most people are reluctant to act. Perhaps if they don't acknowledge the danger they think it will somehow go away. Or maybe they think the government will look after the situation.

Desperate, panic stricken people are arguably even more dangerous than the virus. The more people surrounding you who are prepared for the pandemic, the safer you will be. You'll be secure in the knowledge that your neighbors won't be eyeing your resources. So please spread the word. And don't give up, even though you may feel like the voice in the wilderness. Eventually, if they hear it often enough, some people will take notice. And then they will also spread the word. And in this way we'll all be a little safer.

"Up to one billion people could die around the whole world in six months.... We are half a step away from a worldwide pandemic catastrophe." Dmitry K. Lvov, Director, D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Whether or not it will happen this year, and whether or not it will be as catastrophic as many virologists are predicting, one thing is clear: There WILL be a pandemic of unimaginable proportions some time soon.

We can either bury our heads in the sand and hope it won't happen, or we can begin taking immediate steps to ensure that in a worst case scenario, we've given ourselves and our loved ones the best possible chance for survival.
About the Author

A mother of 4, living in central British Columbia, Julie Butler became curious about Avian Flu on a recent trip to California, where residents are required to report dead birds to authorities. Her website at http://www.survivetheflu.com provides updated information and timely tips for dealing with the deadly H5N1 virus.