A newsletter from the desk of

Jonathan Hollerman

and Grid Down Consulting

Recent Updates and Information You Need to Know....

     Hello all.  As of 8:00 pm last night, Governor Wolf announced mandatory two-week quarantine for my home state of Pennsylvania.  In the last month, I’ve received hundreds of emails and messages from many of you asking me for advice and many thanking me for my previous books and information on preparedness which have helped your families to be ready for a threat like this.  I’ve done the best I can to answer all the emails, but if you sent something I didn’t respond to, please send it again.  I also apologize for not reaching out to you all via newsletter sooner.  I’ve been overwhelmed the last few weeks travelling and helping clients make last minute preparations and transition their families to their survival retreats.  Now that I’m stuck in the house, I’d like to address a few concerns I have and answer some of your questions.

How Worried Should I be?

 

     The answer depends on what news source you are listening to.  I always recommend people listen to multiple REPUTABLE news sources from different perspectives to get a more accurate picture.  I just finished listening to the President’s press conference and I have to say, the media’s politization and dishonesty (on both sides) has been the most frustrating part of this entire scenario for me.  As Americans we should be coming together in a time like this.  We live in an incredible information age with the secrets of the galaxy available to us at the push of a button on our phones.  We have more information available to us than any other generation in history, and we are still the most misinformed American populace ever. 

 

     It’s next to impossible to know what to believe these days.  When you’ve got progressive Democratic Governors like Cuomo in NY and Newsom in CA, and even Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar praising the president’s response to the outbreak, AND YET… CNN still manages to spin every single news report negatively to hurt the President…something is wrong.  When you have Fox News and Rush Limbaugh (whom I respect) insinuating to the American people for weeks that COVID-19 isn’t a serious threat, it’s a hoax, or it’s purely political…something is wrong.  I’m also seeing news outlets latch on to a single doctor’s perspective or some anecdotal story and making click-bate headlines from it that go viral and freak people out with inaccurate information.  Please pay attention to the source of the article you are reading.  If it doesn’t come from the CDC, CIDRAP, WHO, or some other reputable source, please be wary of the information.  If it doesn’t list a source or references, find a new source of information.

     

     We know that the Russians, Iranians, and Chinese are currently and actively infiltrating social media and pushing false narratives to promote confusion and disorder amongst the American people.  I’m seeing regular social media posts discussing COVID-19 as a government coordinated de-population technique, a planned response to an approaching asteroid to get people to spend time at home, or a plan by the Rothschilds to take over the globe with a one world government.  Come on, people!  Wake up!  You are being played by everyone!  Last, I’d advise staying off the prepper and conspiracy channels and forums during the next few months as they seem to be peddling a lot of this misinformation.  I don’t have a single source of information I trust; just be aware that some outlets are overplaying the threat and others are underplaying it.  

 

     Personally, I’m less concerned with dying from the disease than the long-term impact this will have on the American people and the economic impact on the back end.  Right now, I’m just watching to see how widespread this gets. Remember, this is not “the big one” pandemic I discussed in Survival Theory.  I’m not minimizing what’s coming, but we need to keep the death rate in perspective.

 

     The current Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of the COVID-19 virus is in the 2% - 3% range.  Primarily it is older people with other health issues that are dying, though anyone is at risk.  If you compare that to H7N9 and H5N1 bird flus which have a 40% and a 60% CFR even among the healthy… that is a big difference.  Also, I’ve heard many people saying that “the common flu is more deadly than Corona virus” and “the common flu has killed 16,000 people in America, way more than Corona virus.”  Those two statements are somewhat true but very misleading.  Yes, the common flu has killed 16k people in America so far this year, but it also infected 29 million people.  If the Corona Virus spreads at the same rate and infects the same amount of people, at 2.5% CFR, you are looking at 725,000 deaths.  So, it’s not fair to compare the two viruses without comparing them apples to apples.

 

     The truth is if you follow the CDC’s recommendations, keep your hands washed and sanitized, don’t touch your face and wear the proper mask, gloves and eye protection, and avoid sick people, then you should be fine.  The last one is the most important.  The less people you interact with on a daily basis, the less chance you have of contracting the corona virus.  If you can bug in, and not leave your house for a couple weeks or a month (or more) until it blows over, you can virtually eliminate your risk.  If you don’t come into contact with people, you can’t get it.

 

What should I do?

 

Hopefully, you follow me on social media and were able to watch the 3-hour podcast I did with PrepperNet a few weeks back where I recommended everyone not to panic buy, but to immediately get to the supermarket for Lysol wipes, canned food, and a list of other household supplies.  If you didn’t watch the podcast and get to the grocery stores ahead of the rush, you’re likely sweating your current stock of toilet paper right now. 

     I’ve also been interviewed, and some articles have been published with my recommendations.  Sadly, if you didn’t get the memo, the “prior-preparation” ship has sailed.  You are going to have to make choices on how to acquire the necessary food and supplies to get you through the next month or two on your own.  If you have been living in a box the last month and still unsure of what to buy, you can watch my two-week old podcast on YouTube here (skip the long live video intro and go to the 13:00 minute mark) or get a list of the basics that I provided to this article here.  There are also a thousand YouTube channels making recommendations on what to buy, where to buy it, and how to make homemade masks, etc.  A good rational voice in the COVID-19 madness is a fellow SERE classmate of mine at Reality Survival who has covered many topics on how to prepare for COVID-19 virus.   Another good COVID-19 information video I’d recommend is the Youtube interview between Joe Rogan and Michael Osterholm from CIDRAP (warning: occasional foul language in the interview).

 

     So, what should you personally do?  First, don’t panic!  I don’t want to minimize the threat or the loss of life that is likely to come from this, but, I also don’t believe this is the end of the world.  I don’t believe this event will lead to the end of civilization or a breakdown of social order on a national scale.  If you are over 60 and have other health issues, then yes, some extra caution and completely isolating yourself is warranted.  If you live in a major city and have the ability to stay with extended family in the country for the next few months, that might be a good idea.  If you are single, living in an apartment in downtown NY, go home and stay with mom and dad for a few weeks.  If you are younger and reasonably healthy, this isn’t likely to kill you.  However, you don’t want to be the one responsible for transmitting it to an elderly loved one or a sickly co-worker or neighbor. 

 

     Without knowing all the particulars of your situation, work scenario, family size, geographical location, and a hundred other points, and figure in a rapidly changing situation, it’s near impossible for me to make specific recommendations for you personally.  What I can do is tell you what I plan to do and you can take that information and use it as you will.  Remember, there is no easy answer or one-sized fits all approach to this scenario.  Every family’s financial situation, job security, geographical location, family size, and ability to relocate are all different.  Just use common sense, make a plan and execute it.  But if you haven’t done so already, please have the conversation with loved ones and family.  Discuss the “what ifs” and make a plan of action on varying levels of severity. 

 

     My personal plan is to self-quarantine my family in place.  I live rurally (in a town of only 800 people) and have enough regular food in my house to stay bugged in for well over a month or two (See how i did this for FREE in the "Buy What You Already Eat" chapter of my book Survival Theory).  At the same time, I am keeping an eye on the social order and the interstate trucking situation.  As long as the food keeps showing up to my rural grocery store and as long as people aren’t looting and rioting locally, I’m staying put.  If the trucks stop delivering food and people start freaking out, I’m prepared at a moment’s notice to bug out to our survival retreat.  For the record, I DO NOT believe this is going to be the case!  I believe we have a very rough couple months ahead of us, but we’ll pull through.  We may even experience a second wave, next fall, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.  Another recommendation would be to get some cash out of the bank and keep it on hand.  If things get worse and people stop going to work, you may not have access to your money in the bank.  I’m not insinuating you empty your operating account or close out your kid’s college fund, but if you have a couple thousand dollars sitting in savings, I would consider pulling some of that out for the next few months… just until this blows over. 

 

 

     Let’s say, even with my prior preparations, I still run out of food in the middle of the outbreak (hypothetically a full month in) and I need to make a supply run for items I’m running low on. I go to the grocery store wearing an N95 mask, eye protection and nitrile gloves. Most importantly, I’m going to the store at 3:00 am -  NOT during the middle of the day!  I’ll buy what I need and drive straight home. On the porch, I’ll spray myself down with Lysol disinfectant spray and wipe down every item from the store with Lysol wipes. I remove my gloves and mask and clothing outside. Once inside, the clothes go straight into the washer on hot cycle. I get a shower immediately and put on fresh clothes. The moral of the story: treat your home like a contamination zone!  If you don’t bring the virus in, you can’t spread it. 

 

Should I go to the hospital?

 

    I’ve been getting this question a lot.  I don’t want to give medical advice, so I’m telling you my personal plan.   If I begin to feel unwell and symptomatic a few days after coming home from a food run (experiencing flu symptoms), the very last thing I am doing is going to the hospital, period!  If I go there and I didn’t have it, there is a good chance I just got it at the hospital.  As a healthy 40-year-old man, that is my personal plan.  If you are over 70 and unhealthy, you might want to go.  I personally wouldn’t go if I just had flu symptoms.  Remember, the corona virus doesn’t kill you.  If you get it bad enough and long enough, it moves down into your lungs and you actually die from bacterial pneumonia.  So, if I’m just experiencing flu symptoms, I wouldn’t recommend going to the hospital.  If I am beginning to have problems breathing, then it may be time to go in, but also with the realization that there is a very small chance I am getting an ICU bed if I come down with this during the peak.  I am not a doctor, and that is just my strategy for this particular virus.  If it adapts or changes, my strategy may change too. 
 

Closing thoughts...

 

     First, I want to let the first responders and the health care workers know that you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers in the upcoming weeks.  If you look at the reports currently coming out of Italy, they have some tough times ahead and a lot of sleepless nights and tough decisions ahead of them.  Please support anyone you know in the healthcare field during this time and offer to help them and their families (maybe cook them a meal or something) as they enter the trenches each day and deal with the invisible enemy while we sit at home and watch Netflix. 

 

     Love your neighbor and offer to help them (while keeping yourself protected and safe).  I know a lot of you that follow me have been prepared for hard times for years.  If you are one of the forward thinkers that stored up or bought massive amounts of toilet paper before the collapse… please offer to share with your less fortunate family and neighbors.  Don’t wait till they ask.  Offer your help and assistance to those in need.  If we work together, we can make it through this.  Also, please be aware that your children are watching you through this.  Keep your chin up, stay positive for their sake.  They may not understand what’s going on.  Pull out some board games and spend some family time together.  Take this opportunity to teach your kids something or go for a hike.  Get to know your spouse better and rekindle the flame.  Break out that dusty Bible of yours and spend some extra time in the Word and rely on Him for your peace through these hard times.

 

     Last, these are perilous and uncertain times.  I realize that it’s hard to know what to believe and how to plan for an uncertain future.  But you can’t give in to that fear.  You have to stay focused on the things that you have control over.  Don’t bury your head in the sand and ignore the warning signs that may come, but don’t panic either.  Stay aware, stay vigilant, make a plan of action and attack it. 

 

As always,

"Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best, and let God do the Rest."

 

Jonathan Hollerman

 

     Here are some recent updates....

 

  • After years of requests for Grid Down merchandise, I finally have a store on my website with T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Mugs, logo stickers, etc... Grid Down Store 

 

  • I was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at this year's Heritage Life Skills Conference in May by Carolina Readiness.  Sadly, they've had to cancel the event due to travel restrictions and COVID-19 risks.  If you were signed up, please visit the website for refund details.  If you weren't signed up, stay tuned for an update on when the event will be rescheduled. 

 

  • For years I have been planning a corporate "Plan B" for corporate executives and their leadership team and their families to escape and operate their business from a fully-stocked, off-grid remote location during a collapse scenario or event.  While not officially listed on my website, if this interests you, please reply to this email for more information.

 

  • I am in the process of taking considerations for a preparedness community in Costa Rica for clients living in California, Florida, and South Texas who don't have better bug out opportunities because of geographical limitations.  Let me know if you are interested in more information.

 

    • I have spent the last six months transitioning my new, unreleased book series into a TV show.  I have already received two offers but do not wish to sell the rights.  With industry backing, we are looking to engage a Producer/Director directly, educate them on the threat, and ensure the technical aspects of the show are presented accurately.  This way, we can educate the American people on the risks of a Grid Down threat.   If any of you have access to A-list Actors, Directors, or Producers, please let me know and we'll get a show package put together for them.

     

    • I am "still" working on two books simultaneously... current Survival Theory II word count is 65k out of 80k.  I've made a lot of progress on Dark Skies recently which is at 55k of 80k.  Sorry, no release timeline for either...

     

    Click here... to go to Amazon and buy the newest edition of my paperbacks today...

    PO Box 279 McConnellsburg, PA 17233

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