In the 16th century, the French astrologer Nostradamus predicted that there would be a zombie apocalypse in the year 2021. And now that it is in reality 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention want to make sure that you are prepared … just in case.
The CDC recently updated the Zombie Preparedness section on its website – yes, that is one thing. Although the section is not new – it was originally launched in 2011 – it is interesting, as it has been updated in the midst of a global pandemic that happens to be happening in the year of a predicted zombie apocalypse.
The CDC makes it clear online that this is a joke, albeit with a serious message about the importance of disaster preparedness. “I wonder why zombies, zombie apocalypse and zombie preparation continue to live or walk dead on a CDC website?” the landing page reads. “It turns out that what started as an ironic campaign to engage new audiences with readiness messages has proven to be a very effective platform. We continue to reach and engage a wide variety of audiences in preparing for all hazards via ‘zombie preparation.'”
The CDC offers lesson plans for teachers about preparing for the zombie apocalypse, a downloadable poster that says, “Get a Kit. Make a plan. Be prepared”, next to a zombie’s face, and general information on disaster preparedness.
In a related but not zombie preparation section, the CDC talks about the importance of having certain tools in the home, such as food, water and medical supplies to last at least 72 hours, backup power supplies, medical records and a supply of emergency of prescription medication.
But the CDC also links the council to zombies with a blog post that lists exactly what you need to have hidden at home, in the case of a zombie apocalypse – which can also help in the event of other disasters. In addition to a gallon of water per person per day, the CDC recommends having first aid supplies available, noting, “although you are a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you can occur during a tornado or hurricane. “
The CDC did not respond to Yahoo Life’s request for comment.
Doctors and disaster preparedness experts seem to think the campaign is very smart.
“I think it’s great,” John Sellick, a professor at the Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, told Yahoo Life. “As we saw with the coronavirus, disaster preparedness is crucial.”
FEMA-certified natural disaster preparedness instructor Cheryl Nelson, founder of Prepare with Cher, agrees. “I think that’s brilliant,” she told Yahoo Life. “It’s definitely a way to get attention and make preparation fun. The more creative ways we can get the preparation message out, the better.”
The CDC is simply “trying to make disaster preparedness understandable to different populations,” Mitchel A. Rosen, associate professor in the Department of Urban and Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health, told Yahoo Life. And, he says, framing the subject around a zombie apocalypse “makes it fun to learn about disaster preparedness.”
Lee Clarke, a sociology professor at Rutgers at New Jersey State University, told Yahoo Life that while zombie preparation may seem “trivial, trivial and fun on the surface”, he points out that “all the messages are there”. “They just replace ‘zombie’ with ‘flood’ or ‘hurricane’,” he says. “Zombies are just more interesting and attract people.”
Although the packaging is quirky, Sellick points out that the underlying message – being prepared for the unexpected – is important and incredibly relevant now. “Bottled water, flour, disinfectant spray, toilet paper … a year ago, it didn’t matter how much money you had. You couldn’t get your hands on certain things,” he says. “Having a stock at home could have helped carry some of us. Clearly, most of us did not have adequate supplies of things.”
Many people joked about a zombie apocalypse going on, but “2020 made something like this no longer seem so impossible,” says Nelson, adding: “It creates the mindset, ‘Well, God. If a global pandemic happened, what will come – zombies? ! Maybe I should get ready. ‘”
Even though the zombie apocalypse is unlikely in reality happen, Nelson says families should consider their own disaster preparedness plan. “Did you ever think that a global pandemic would happen in our life? Wouldn’t you like to have a disaster preparedness kit with items like hand sanitizer, baby wipes, masks and the toilet paper so needed when the pandemic hit?” she says. “Take time and get ready now. If you don’t want to get ready for yourself, get ready for your loved ones. Do it for them. They will be grateful that you did it.”
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