{"id":233,"date":"2011-05-22T23:12:37","date_gmt":"2011-05-22T23:12:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.technogypsie.com\/science\/?p=233"},"modified":"2011-05-22T23:12:37","modified_gmt":"2011-05-22T23:12:37","slug":"preparedness-101-zombie-apocalypse-from-the-cdc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technotink.net\/science\/preparedness-101-zombie-apocalypse-from-the-cdc\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse from the CDC"},"content":{"rendered":"

http:\/\/emergency.cdc.gov\/socialmedia\/zombies_blog.asphttp:\/\/emergency.cdc.gov\/socialmedia\/zombies_blog.asp<\/p>\n

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Social Media: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse<\/h1>\n

The following was originally posted on CDC Public Health Matters Blog<\/a> May 16th, 2011 by Ali S. Khan.<\/p>\n

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There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That\u2019s right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you\u2019ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you\u2019ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real <\/em>emergency.<\/p>\n

A Brief History of Zombies<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ve all seen at least one movie about flesh-eating zombies taking over (my personal favorite is Resident Evil\"External<\/a>), but where do zombies come from and why do they love eating brains so much? The word zombie comes from Haitian and New Orleans voodoo origins. Although its meaning has changed slightly over the years, it refers to a human corpse mysteriously reanimated to serve the undead. Through ancient voodoo and folk-lore traditions, shows like the Walking Dead were born.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:A couple dressed as zombies – Danny Zucco and Sandy Olsson from the movie Grease walking in the annual Toronto Zombie Walk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In movies, shows, and literature, zombies are often depicted as being created by an infectious virus, which is passed on via bites and contact with bodily fluids. Harvard psychiatrist Steven Schoolman wrote a (fictional) medical paper on the zombies presented in Night of the Living Dead<\/em><\/a> and refers to the condition as Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome<\/em> caused by an infectious agent. The Zombie Survival Guide<\/a> identifies the cause of zombies as a virus called solanum. Other zombie origins shown in films include radiation from a destroyed NASA<\/a> Venus<\/a> probe (as in Night of the Living Dead<\/em><\/a>), as well as mutations of existing conditions such as prions<\/a>, mad-cow disease<\/a>, measles<\/a> and rabies<\/a>.The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder \u201cHow do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, we\u2019re here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing for real <\/em>emergencies too!<\/p>\n

Better Safe than Sorry<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Photo:Some of the supplies for your emergency kit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So what do you need to do before zombies\u2026or hurricanes or pandemics for example, actually happen? First of all, you should have an emergency kit in your house. This includes things like 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<\/a>, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or utility lines are restored). Below are a few items you should include in your kit, for a full list visit the CDC Emergency page<\/a>.<\/p>\n