Should we seriously be worried about Bird Flu?

[Tinker]

Hype or reality? Don't know whether I should be laughing or panicking about this. Am actually doing neither, of course, but...maybe it should have a more frightening name?

[helsi]

my feelings exactly. They havent reallt said if it is coming for definite yet have they?

[Mosschops30]

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[Mosschops30]

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[dinny]

not fair only women get it.

[Carla]

Why do only women get it?

[TinyGang]

How come only women can get it?

Yes, I do worry a bit, but a week or so back I was worrying about Sudan1. In the end I just get a bit de-sensitised to all the things we're supposed to be scared about, which isn't a good way to be I suspect

[pinotgrigio]

I was living in Thailand at the time of the last outbreak, and it was very severe.

We took basic precautions such as avoiding eating eggs/chicken and running in the opposite direction screaming "chickens, chickens!!" if we saw any.

At the time there was no evidence that bird flu was being spread by people though, just birds.

We're hoping to go back out there this year, but this time I might investigate vaccines (if available). It's pretty deadly if you do get it, but most people affected were working with chickens in some form or another.

I'm definitely not scared about catching it here. I've been much closer to the action!

[expatinscotland]

Absolutely. It's something that has disturbed me ever since we learned that the Spanish Flu was originally aviary, then mutated to a swine flu, then become one that was easily transmitted human to human.

This bird flu attacks ALL the body's organs - it is not restricted to just a respiratory disease, altho most victims perished of respiratory failure. This fact is FRIGHTENING.

My grandmother's first husband - a 21-year-old bricklayer in excellent health - and 2-year-old daughter died when the Spanish Flu Epidemic reached Mexico around 1920. Her husband was dead of pnuemonia w/i 3 days of falling ill. Her daughter lasted only 12 hours. Gran died calling her child's name some 73 years later. Minutes before she died she blessed all her children and grandchildren, telling them there was no greater loss than burying your own children and she'd pray none of her kin had to suffer so.

What scares me is the plans when it mutates. Not to sound cruel, but this whole 'vaccinate the elderly first' is scary. Why? B/c bird flu's victims have almost ALL been under 35. In fact, many are children. I'm all for helping our vulnerable, but aren't children just as valuable?

[Tinker]

I did read that Spanish flu mostly affected teh fit and healthy - which is worrying. Did read, also, of someone who died of Bird flu from drinking raw duck blood. Well, if you will do that...!

[edam]

If Hugh Pennington (major expert bacteriologist/virologist) is worried, as today's paper claims, them so am I. But there isn't much we can do on an individual basis, is there?

[Blu]

From what i've heard , I'm worried about this - and can't understand why alongside the vaccination and inflatable morturay preparations, the gvt aren't also planning some quarantine and other infection-minimising measures.