I remember them telling us covid was low risk, that it would be contained, and not to panic.

I agree a lot public health management really fucked up in a big way, and we could have handled even the initial response a lot better. But in their defense, these statements had been true of every other overblown novel contagion in the past century. In the past couple decades there have been a few diseases which were touted as the new global pandemic and they came to very little (on the grand scale, not saying they weren't serious for the people who suffered them). I also agree the mask shit was totally mishandled.

I think it's impractical to call for a full-blown reaction to every new disease out there. Unfortunately then reacting to stuff when it does become big will take at least some time.

Personally wouldn't currently advise anyone to "prepare" for it in any way beyond how they should already be as standard - Just always have a few days worth of canned food, supplies and masks.