Do you think the US government will be ready for the Bird Flu?
603376
I am not relying on them. I got my pneumonia shot and am getting this\nLaboratory tests show Sambucol® neutralises Common and Avian Flu Virus H5N1 \nAdded: (Thu Jan 19 2006) \n\nNew research, carried out by Retroscreen Virology has indicated that \nSambucol®, a patented formula, may fight the virulent Avian Flu virus. Results have been presented yesterday, Wednesday, in a press conference held in the Royal Society of Medicine, London. Speakers included Prof. Hannoun, Emeritus Professor at the Pasteur Institute and Dr. Mumcuoglu, developer of Sambucol®. \n\nLaboratory trials held in a leading research institute, Retroscreen Virology \nLtd, associated with the University of London found Sambucol® to be at least \n99% effective against the Avian Flu virus H5N1. Sambucol® was effective at \nsignificantly neutralising the infectivity of the virus in cell cultures. These \nresults will also be presented during the International Conference on Bird Flu: \n“The First Pandemic of the 21st Century. A Central Role for Antivirals”, to be \nheld at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital on January 19th-20th 2006. \n\nDr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, is looking into further investigations into the \nactivity of Sambucol® against Avian Flu on a wider scale. \n\nIn an earlier study (1995) Sambucol® was found to be effective against a wide range of influenza strains. Laboratory studies conducted at the Hebrew \nUniversity – Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem demonstrated the activity \nof Sambucol® against human, swine, and avian influenza strains. \nSambucol®'s efficacy was also demonstrated in two double blind, placebo \ncontrolled clinical studies. Sambucol® was shown to cut the duration and \nseverity of the common flu by up to half. \n\nENDS \n\nNotes to editors; \nSambucol® is based on an active substance isolated from the black elderberry. \nManufactured by Razei Bar Industries Israel, Sambucol® is available in 17 \ncountries and in the UK is sold in Tesco, leading chemists, independent health \nfood stores and wholesalers from £8.49. \n\nFor photography please visit the following site and enter the log in details: \nFTP address: ftp://pixelit.co.il \nuser name: ftp_razeibar \npassword: 63+84675 \n\n\nFor further press information please contact: Francesca Gaffey/Cheryl Davies, \nCommunique Public Relations, Waterside, No2 Canal Street, Manchester, M1 \n3HE. Tel: 0161 242 5120/0161 242 5108 Fax: 0161 228 7391 E-mail: \nfrancesca.gaffey@communiquepr.co.uk cheryl.davies@communiquepr.co.uk \n\nFor research information please visit: Retroscreen Virology Ltd. at: \nhttp://www.retroscreen.com/ \n\nFor product information please visit: \nRazei Bar Industries (1996) Ltd. At: www.sambucol.com
222374
What's spooking the government, the scientists, and the media is that the bird flu is spreading very quickly, is very lethal, and has a very strong potential to mutate into a form that's transmissible from human to human. A good source of information about the bird flu is www.fluwikie.com.
446813
I know this wasn't really your question, but don't get too panicked about this.  There are other, more immediate threats to your health that you should worry about more than if they bird flue mutates.  You're more likely, at least in the immediate future to be run over by a car, for instance, so look both ways before you cross the street!\n\nIf you feel the need to stockpile food, this might be helpful for you psychologically.  Know, however, that they are working on a vaccination that may come in time.
316579
No. Bird flu only kills birds, plus about 100 unfortunate humans to date.  But if it mutates into a form that can be transmitted from human-to-human, then a lot of people might get sick (10%? 20%? who knows).  The pandemic would last until practically every person on earth had been exposed to the virus.  That's what happened last time around, with the "Spanish Flu" epidemic of 1918-1919.
619059
As of yesterday,Oprah did a special interview with a man from the CDC. \n\nHe readily admitted that we can only be prepared. There is only so much of Tamaflu to go around right now. He stated that it would first be given to healthcare workers so they would not be bringing it home to their families and also because we need heathcare workers in a crisis such as this could present.\n\nHe stated also that even if it isn't the bird flu...that something like the 1918 pandemic will happen sooner or later. It was interesting that he said that bodies were exhumed in Alaska from people who died from the flu of 1918. From the bodies remains they were able to (can't think of the word)  basically create the 1918 virus in a test tube. From this they were able to determine how it spread,and came to the conclusion that it passed from birds directly to people without any type of warning.\n\nPersonally I don't think we are prepared enough should a pandemic occur. But that is what having faith is for. You can't live each day of your life in fear. Life goes on. All we can do is be well informed and do our best to prevent the spread of the illness should something like this ever happen.
142970
No, I don't think so.  My understanding is you would have to be living in very close surroundings with poultry that have the virus, or in close contact with live birds.\n\nHowever, I guess we'll be discovering new stuff about bird flu for years to come.
53009
Let's look at the facts...\n\nIn 2003, the estimated number of deaths of persons with AIDS (in the U.S.) was 18,017, including 17,934 adults and adolescents, and 83 children under age 13.\n\nAlthough avian influenza A viruses usually do not infect humans, more than 100 confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza viruses have been reported since 1997.\n\nThat's over 18,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2003 alone and only about 100 confirmed cases, not deaths, of "bird flu" since 1997.  In addition, though people may live longer with HIV/AIDS than with the bird flu, 100% of people with AIDS die from it, and the bird flu is not that deadly.  Moreover, the U.S. gov't is getting closer and closer to finding a vaccine for the bird flu.  Obviously, AIDS is more threatening to the world than the bird flu is.  If the bird flu were more airborne like normal flu, it might be more threatening, but still not even close to AIDS.  The only reason why people are scared is that the media and gov't have done a good job of scaring us about bird flu, when what they should be doing is devoting themselves to scaring people about AIDS so people take more precautions not to get it or pass it on!\n\nNote:  The fact that the other two people who have responded to this question feel that bird flu is more threatening PROVES that there isn't enough fear of HIV/AIDS.\n\nAnd by the way, it's much easier to get HIV than bird flu.
197139
I saw a show on oprah, where a representative from the CDC was a guest and they were talking about the bird flu. They say that eventually it will become a pandemic. this is if the virus starts to mutate to be able to spread from human to human efficiently. it may not spread quickly, and it might not even get to that point, we hope. but there is a high chance that it could happen. cases are starting to turn up in europe, its' slowly making it wasy across the continents. it will definately hit america, it may not infect many humans, but it will infect birds.
623472
Here's what's recommended for the bird flu -\n\nface masks\ngloves\na complete medical kit\npowered gatorade\nbottled water supplies\nMREs (meals ready to eat)\nTamiflu\n\nGet your dr to write a script for Tamiflu & set it aside\nin case you do contract the flu. If at all possible, have\na prescription for every member of your household. The flu shot is useless in this case. Use the face masks & gloves if you absolutely have to go out amongst people who might be exposed to the flu. If you have to stay in your home for three months, you will need to survive - hence the stockpile of water & food that can be eaten without cooking (what if we lose power?) Clean Water, especially, is essential. I know this sounds like a strange suggestion, but read The Stand by Stephen King - there were a lot of survival tips in there that I would not have thought of - it deals with pandemic & gives you a different perspective on what life would/could be like if millions & millions die. Most of this is common sense, but a lot of people lack in that department. I've been following the progress of the bird flu for a while now & am anxious because I don't want my children to get it, so I looked up all the things we'd need to survive. I hope it doesn't come to pandemic, because America is so not prepared. Good luck!
1040019
Curing this flu is no easy matter, avian influenza is so deadly that it is right behind anthrax on the bio-defense list, as a possible terrorist weapon. There are two ways to try to dodge the flu. One is to kill all infected birds. The other is to develop a vaccine before the disease shifts. Because this strain requires four times the usual vaccine dosage it is impossible to produce the 600 million doses our population needs. Current supplies could provide vaccine for 15 million people; that’s only 5% of our population. Accumulated data paints such a frightening pathogenic picture that WHO issued an urgent warning that a flu pandemic could affect billions of people worldwide. Billions because, unlike our annual flu outbreaks, everyone is vulnerable, regardless of age or health. To make matters worse,in Germany, on February 26, 2006, the virus demonstrated its adaptability when a domestic cat  was found dead from  avian influenza. A few days later, an infected stone marten was discovered. This shows us that the virus is changing. Last week it was believed that 6 members of an Indonesian family had all died of avian flu, which could indicate that the virus can now spread through human to human contagion. If a pandemic does strike we will immediately lose 40% of the country's work force. President Bush got less than half of the $7.1 billion he asked for to fight this flu. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist warned Americans that state and federal authorities are "woefully underprepared" to enforce quarantine provisions and distribute medicine, food, and other vital supplies in response to an avian flu pandemic. There isn’t medical equipment or staff enough to handle this outbreak. There are pitifully few ventilators and not enough coffins or cemeteries to bury the dead.  Perhaps as many as 1.7 million Amjericans  will die as the flu cycles through our country.Bush has said he will deploy the U.S. military to enforce a quarantine on areas where infection is found. Well, that’s just ridiculous. Where will the manpower come from? \nThere really isn’t a good solution to the problem. There isn’t enough vaccine; people are going to die. Remember birds distribute the virus through their fluids and feces so watch where you step and stay clear of ducks, they are carriers of the virus but are unaffected by it.  So the best bet is to stock up on water, canned foods and Tamiflu, stay in your own home, limit visitors severely, watch over your old folks and the infants and keep them as washed up as possible, wash your own hands often and pray. But be careful what you pray for … this flu might never be a problem ... it could be some other strain of man-killer flu entirely.
38619
The bird flu is of the type H5N1.  This refers to the protein structure of the virus.  The virus can currently pass from bird to bird and from bird to human.  Bird to human spread is difficult.  Close contact with infected birds is needed, which is why it has been mainly poultry workers who have been infected.\n\nThere is a very high mortality rate in humans who contract H5N1.  However once the virus has infected a human it is unable to spread human to human and is therefore contained.  The worry is that the virus is able to mutate to allow human to human spread.  Humans have no natural immunity to H5N1 so if the virus does mutate there would be a Pandemic.\n\nAuthorities are  now trying to contain the virus to prevent the spread in bird  populations.  If they are successful the virus will be unable  to mutate and unnable to jump  the species barrier.\n\nGood web resources are the WHO and CDC websites and also the UK's Health Protection Agency.
451577
Relax.  The media in the US is making people crazy about bird flu.  The rest of the world isn't concerned. Turn off the tv.
156476
NO\nEvery year flu vaccines are produced, The vaccine is different each year as virologists try to figure out which strains of flu will be ciculating the next flu season. The vaccine is to prevent those flus.\nThere is a vaccine undergoing testing in China I believe for avian flu but it is nowhere near ready for use in humans yet.\nThe regular flu vaccine will not protect you against the avian flu, not even a little bit.
859308
Yes, its been blown out of proportion by the media.  It really isnt such a big deal!  More people die from the common cold in a year than from bird flu
667870
Hate to say this but yeah i think we will.  Hopefully not anytime in the next 50 years but I guess we will see, I guess we better be prepared just in case huh!!!!
291076
"Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt recommended over the weekend that Americans start storing provisions such as canned tuna and powdered milk as the prospect of a bird flu outbreak approaches the United States." <http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/archives/023196.html>  Actually he said to put it under your bed.\n\nA really good defense is to wash your hands frequently and always before touching your face.
339094
I am in the health care field and I would like to tell you that this is ridiculous.  The media is going around scaring people again.  The bird flu has less then a 3 percent chance of ever mutating into a human virus.  It may come here and be something like the west nile virus, killing a few elderly and young.  This reminds me of SARS again, a virus being overblown when in actuality it is almost harmless.  Wake up people and learn things for yourself instead of listening to whatever the tv says.