How will the United States cope with Bird Flu?
354453
I think that Bird Flu isn't really as big a problem as the media makes it seem.
81722
Bird flu is spread by migratory birds and traveling people.
269756
As of now, several answers to your questions are unknown. While this disease has been in the news for quite a while, it is still a new disease, and we don't know much about it yet. Only time will tell what is going to happen, and what the effects of this disease are.\n\nHere is what is known about it:\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_flu
1001013
I think J.D. is wrong. this "pandemic" will eventually find itself in the US and will be a major health problem; one which we are not prepared for!
47746
very concerned, think about chain reactions. lets say i have a infected chicken, and i skin it. i give the feathers to a pillow company and the rest to a processing company. lets say that a woman with three children buys the chicken, and she works at a school. think of all those people the workers and children pass by at work/school, and the people they love. that is serious.\n\nYes we should, unfortunately, we dont have antibodies for the avian flu. Yet.
98319
Kill all affected birds, human in direct contact with those birds are prone to bird flu, last 3 years 92 people are dead from bird flu and all were bird handlers.\n\nThere is no harm in eating well cooked chicken and egg.\n\nIt has not yet spead from humam to human but danger is still there.
225340
Yes i am worried. people are GOING to die, if we don't take the proper precautions, i am going to Austria in may 2006, where the bird flu is, and i am really freaked out. Can anyone help me with this.
593378
I assume you're referring to the bird flu that's currently spreading through western europe. It's important that you remember that very few birds can carry the disease; however, one of the ways that the disease spreads to humans is by contact with the feathers. The most likely ways of a human contracting the virus, though, are constant contact with the faeces of birds, as well as regular contact with their beaks. Of course, since birds preen their feathers using their beaks, it is possible that the virus could survive for a short time on the feathers, and so could be passed onto humans. If you're in any doubt as to whether you may have contracted the disease, you should go to a doctor immediately. Bird flu usually manifests itself first in the form of a minor eye infection, but can spread through the body quickly depending on the strain.\n\nIn the UK, the deadly H5N1 strain has only been confirmed to date in a single dead swan, and there are no confirmed cases of it being passed on to humans in the UK.\n\nBreeds of birds you should be especially careful with are swans, geese and ducks, as they are particularly susceptible to it and may carry it for several weeks without showing any symptoms whatsoever. Also, as they are migratory birds the risk of them carrying it from another country are greatly increased.\n\nAll that said, I wouldn't be too concerned about it; as long as you're careful and you're not in regular physical contact with birds you should be alright.\n\nAlex
125215
thats a good and probably the best question so far ,well, to my istimation it will strike cuba from there florida all this from euorope within two months and if it strike australia then honololu it will strike california by the same time margain .but the bird flu so far is carried by birds otherwise it will be an international disaster.
120313
So far bird flu is not contagious from human to human.  So unless someone brings home a flock of chickens, I don't think you have much to worry about.
461321
Yes...\n\nMy job requires looking at hundreds of avian influenza articles per week. It influences me as a form of torture.\n\nEventually, however, avian influenza will influence all of us. There is the possibility it will mutate into a form that infects upper respiratory tract cells, and thus spreads from person to person. The probability of that happening is undetermined. \n\nEven if that doesn't happen, avian influenza has had a profound affect upon the poultry industry of every country in which it has been found. The U.S. pountry industry (if you are in the U.S.) will be less affected than many other countries, because so many of our chicken's are raised indoors. Nevertheless, the U.S. pountry industry will have to undergo many regional culls. This will actually drive the price of poultry down, as we have seen in other countries, because people will be scared to buy chickens. The economic ripple effect will be felt by everyone, in one form or another.\n\nBut, we will survive. All chickens will be raised indoors, in time.\n\nThe U.S. might experience less regional outbreaks of avian influenza than other countries, because West Nile Virus has devastated local wild bird populations - meaning there is less of a vector for avian influenza to use. However, migratory bird populations, such as ducks, will still spread it to farms where chicken's and other poultry are exposed to the outdoors.
791686
Shhhh...\nThe American Republican Lemmings\nare being weaned off of their daily \ndoses of Bush's Special Jesus Juice.\n\nThey will be abit cranky for a couple months,\nwithdrawal symptoms and all...\n\nAfter that...\nThey will be eating crows\nwith Bush everynight. Heh Heh!
284944
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm
1182174
Its real, but its a non-issue.\n\nBird flu is just BS by the Bush administration to distract people's attention away from the war in Iraq. Its not contageous among people. You have to be exposed to the dander of an infected bird.\n\nREALITY CHECK: Since 1998 when bird flu was discovered in Hong Kong......\n... About 100 people died from bird flu.\n... About 3,000,000 people died from regular flu.\n\nSo which flu do we need to worry about the most?
216003
The impact would be huge and spread far beyond 100s of thousands of people just being sick and/or dying.\nIn attempts to stop the spread of the flu, schools and businesses would close as people began to stay home in attempts to isolate themselves and not get sick. That means no production, no shopping and no spending and the economy takes a big hit.\nAnd with many people staying in and businesses closed, you can count on a certain part of the population trying to take advantage and risking illness to loot, leading to massive insurance claims by businesses and shortages of key items as people begin to emerge from their exiles (be they self-imposed or government imposed).\nAll-in-all, it will be one big mess.
13027
There is no vaccine for it and low resistance. People who are weak will die more easily. It is not 100% fatal, just very severe.\nThe real danger may be that it could reduce the population of birds, both domestic and wild.  The damage to food production could be very bad.
103898
here some ways how to cope with the flu\n-get plenty of rest\n-take aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen(if you really must)\n-drink....drink.....drink\n-humidify your home in winter\n-suppress a dry cough\n-encourage a "productive" cough