infection
Photo credit: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

Every day you will be exposed to potential infection due to the very nature of the enemy you will be fighting. Infection can come from a scratch, bite, or exposure to bodily fluids of the infected enemy.

Gear to prevent infection:

  • Bloodborne pathogen prevention: A simple bandana over you face and safety glasses arent going to protect you from “splatter” infections. When fighting in close quarters or simply slipping in a pool of blood, you run a high risk of infection. For protection of your facial mucous membranes, (Eyes, ears, and nose) you need something capable of forming an airtight seal. Gas masks, fireman’s mask, and things of that nature are best, but if you cant get your hands on those, a ventilator mask and goggles would be suitable. A motorcycle helmet would work as long as it has a full face shield. If your face were covered in gore, the vents in front could become saturated with infected and it fluids could drip inside the helmet or become an aerosol inhalant to to the air being forced through the vents. Sweat could become mixed with infected fluids, and run down into your eyes or mouth, what is why things with airtight seals are best. That is also why just a bandana and glasses are a terrible idea. Your mouth is almost in direct contact with the bandana, and the fluid can seep through coming into contact with your mouth, causing infection.
  • Clothing: Anything that provides a suitable barrier to bites, scratches, and other ways infection could be transmitted. Military or tactical clothing is probably best due to the fact that it is by nature designed to resist failure from rugged use in battle conditions. A BDU top will resist snags and penetration from large briars, so it could keep you from being scratched, and possibly provide you with enough protection to keep your skin from being punctured by a zombie bite, although there probably will be a good deal of bruising. The same can be said for any other military/rugged use clothing. Thick denim, or even leather jackets or pants are also better protection than you think. In cold weather, layers can mean the difference between life and death. Not only from the elements, but from the zombie menace as well. Gloves should also be worn, as your hands will most often be the tools you use for your survival. A small nick, bite, or cut on an unprocected hand could cause you to become infected. Leather or military/tactical gloves will provide better protection than cotton garden gloves. It may also be a good idea to wear latex gloves under any other gloves. You may have to carry a wounded friend, move carcasses for burning, or other chores that would require your hands to be exposed to possible infection. Microscopic cracks in the skin on your hands are very common and are viable avenues of infection.

Exposure prevention procedures:
Everyone should be checked when returning from outside of your base. Check for bites or wounds that could possibly cause infection. Men and women BOTH should be stripped to their underwear for examination upon arrival, and their clothes and gear taken to be immediately sanitized. Everyone returning will bathe in an anti-viral/anti-bacterial rinse, and should be taken to a debreifing session.

Quarantine:
Anyone with bites or suspicious wounds will be quarantined in their own cell for as long as needed to determing if they are infected or not. (As we don’t know the time it will take for a person to turn from infection. Many factors could influence this: a person’s natural immunity, weight, metabolism, ect.) Quarantined individuals will be debriefed as soon as possible. Visitation with the quarantined will be allowed, but in a “Prison style” visitation area where the quarantined cannot have physical contact with the visitors.