Epidemic, pandemic, dangerous disease: what to do right now
⏱ 2 min read
Virus, infectious disease, quarantine. Below: what to do right away, what next, when to call 112 and what to avoid. The same instructions are in the free SurvivalZone.app and work without internet.
First, right now
- Follow your national public health authority and local council. Do what they advise, not what circulates online.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially when you get home and before eating.
- Have symptoms? Stay at home and phone your doctor or a telehealth line first, instead of going to the surgery.
Then
- Wear a mask in crowds and indoor spaces when authorities advise it, and always when you are ill.
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow. Air your home several times a day.
- Keep at least 2 weeks of your regular medicines, plus a thermometer and fever medicine.
- Put a sick person in a separate room if you can. Use separate towels and dishes.
- Phone older relatives and neighbours every day. Do their shopping and leave it at the door.
- Get vaccinated according to official recommendations.
When to call 112
Shortness of breath, chest pain, blue lips, confusion, a very high fever that will not come down, or seizures.
What not to do
- Do not take antibiotics on your own. They do not work against viruses.
- Do not believe miracle cures and chain messages.
- Do not stockpile medicines or masks. They will run out for patients and doctors.
See also
Frequently asked questions
Epidemic, pandemic, dangerous disease: what should I do first?
Follow your national public health authority and local council. Do what they advise, not what circulates online. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially when you get home and before eating. Have symptoms? Stay at home and phone your doctor or a telehealth line first, instead of going to the surgery.
When should I call 112?
Shortness of breath, chest pain, blue lips, confusion, a very high fever that will not come down, or seizures.
Epidemic, pandemic, dangerous disease: what should I avoid?
Do not take antibiotics on your own. They do not work against viruses. Do not believe miracle cures and chain messages.
Related topics
- 🏠 Home quarantine and isolation
- 🧫 Suspicious package or white powder
- 🧼 Hygiene Without Water
- 💊 Run out of medicine
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Other scenarios
- ⚡ Power cut
- 🥶 Cold, no heating
- 🚱 No water or unsafe tap water
- 🌊 Flood, water coming in
- 🎒 Evacuation in 10 minutes
- 🔥 Fire in the building
- 🌡️ Heatwave
- ⛈️ Storm, strong wind
- 🚀 Air attack: missiles, drones, bombs
- 📢 Sirens, alarm, air contamination
- 📵 No signal, no internet
- ❤️ Someone is unconscious
- 🌍 Earthquake
- ⛵ Storm at sea, no internet
- 🚗 Road accident
- ☠️ Carbon monoxide or gas leak
- ❄️ Stuck in a car in a snowstorm
- 🌩️ Thunderstorm outdoors
- 🫀 Heart attack or stroke
- 🏊 Someone is drowning
- 🌲 Forest or grass fire
- 💳 Cards and cash machines not working
- 🧒 A child is missing
- 🫁 Choking
- 🩸 Severe bleeding
- 🔥 Burns and scalds
- 😷 Smog and poor air quality
- 🐻 Bear on the trail
- 🐗 Wild boar encounter
- 🏢 Fire at work: evacuation
- 🌪️ Tornado
- 🌧️ Flash flooding
- ☣️ Chemical incident
- 🏠 Quarantine at home
- 🛡️ Cyberattack
- 🔌 No power in your home
- 💨 You smell gas
- 😵💫 Someone faints
- 🏫 Alarm or evacuation at your child's school
- 🏜️ Drought and water restrictions
- 🌋 Volcanic eruption and ashfall
- 🛴 E-scooter accident
- 🛑 Attacker at school or in a building
- 🔔 An alarm goes off: home, flats, work
- ☢️ Nuclear attack and radioactive contamination
- 🧫 Suspicious package, powder, biological threat
- 💣 Bomb threat, suspicious item, explosion
- 💰 Robbery: shop, bank, street
- 💚 Suicidal thoughts: how to help yourself or someone else
- 🌲 Lost in the forest: how to survive
Sources
- ECDC: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
- Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (Poland)
- WHO: water, sanitation and hygiene in emergencies
Scientific literature and guidelines
- Cochrane review (Jefferson et al., 2023): physical interventions to reduce the spread of respiratory viruses
- Cochrane review (Ejemot-Nwadiaro et al., 2021): hand-washing promotion for preventing diarrhoea
- WHO: Guidelines on hand hygiene in health care
Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-11-04.
General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.