Bird Flu, are you worried?

[Abbie]

I don't know about you guys, but I've become pretty complacent about things like this. Every week there's some new scare about something, but this one seems like it might actually be real.

What I don't understand though is, although it seems pretty inevitable. No one seems to discuss exactly what will happen if this pandemic happens. Will we be resticted from travelling in the country? Will the economy suffer badly? Will the NHS implode under the strain?

These are questions that I think need answering.

[Geoff]

That's a good point, no one has really talked about what the aftermath will be. Personally, I'm more worried about my cat more then anything else. I think the only people who will suffer greatly frombird-flu are the very fragile.

[Shizara]

Some food for thought... Remember the dire predictions made regarding the effect on computer systems when the year 2000 rolled over and the subsequent rush to buy fixits to prevent disaster befalling computers? The world watched whilst NZ arrived at the year 2000 first. We were advised to remove plugs from sockets due to power surges expected etc... um.. I was online at midnight and after. My 1994 RISC OS carried on without missing a beat, in fact overall, nationwide compared to the dire predictions it fizzled to a non event. The only thing that happened on the RISC OS was in regard to the PC card which was running nasty Windows 3.11. The clock was a little confused. The RISC OS users in England created a patch and the PC partition then took it's time from the RISC OS. On a similar scale much has been made in recent times about the perceived dangers of natural medicine or ineffectiveness to the extent that many items have been removed from the shelves or some of the permitted ones are made by drug companies. The point being is that whilst we need to be aware the media is also aware that scaremongering is an effective tool that sells papers, so too is our commonsense an effective tool for keeping perspective. Yes, it could happen, plagues have happened before but let us not assume that it is a foregone conclusion. Keep your immune system strong and take care of yourselves it will help your body fight many things.

[chillitt]

i have free range chickens in the back garden, they share their spot with a goose 3 ducks and 4 pheasants (all wild). bird flu has been in this country for 40 years without any humans catching it. theres probably more chance of catching the human variant of bird flu from somebody travelling from the far east that is infected than actually catching it from a bird. but we are probably not allowed to say that.
i am more scared of the governments reaction to bird flu than i am of the human variant..
e.g. the containment zones in scotland forced the poultry to be confined, thus INCREASING the chances of a human infection and stressing the birds leaving them more likely to be infected.

[Shizara]

Probably whatever smokescreen they wish to use to divert our attention from things that cause embarrassment or show certain things in a bad light.

With regard to my earlier comment regarding natural remedies being taken off the market because of claims that they are "bad for the health" or worse, have caused death in one or two people, I have noted that over the last few years claims are now being made in support of various natural products. Drug companies manufacture drugs that are beneficial and in many instances, life saving, however, a strong immune system is our best friend in life - keeping in mind that none of us will live forever. A strong immune system will work hard to ward off and do battle with invading viruses on our behalf. I don't dismiss the fact that from time to time antibiotics are necessary and can save our lives but in the last few decades mankind seems to have become very lackadaisical about the use of them. As a consequence stronger drugs may be necessary and the bugs out there require clobbering with heavier artillery.

History shows that we have had plagues of illnesses that have claimed the lives of many but I still feel that a robust immune system, good hygiene - rather than a sterile environment and measures to reduce stress in our lives - which I know is easier said than done - will stand us in good stead. That doesn't mean that we will never be ill during our lives, just that we have a better chance of combatting many illnesses if our internal military strength is in good form.

It is easy to get carried along in the wave of panic that is media driven and guaranteed to sell newspapers / magazines. No matter what we do there will always be certain things happening in our lives around us. Be aware of what is happening but be controlled by commonsense rather than media frenzies.

[Shizara]

What is the profit margin on Tamiflu?

[Will]

Normally I'd treat this latest world-ending catastrophe with the usual amounts of complete indifference, but I'm booked to travel around Europe next month, and I won't be a happy bunny is they introduce some stupid travel bans.

[Josie]

Well, it looks like Swine Flu's making a comeback. Tissues at the ready everyone. I'll get a tin of paint & start painting crosses on the front doors of the infected...

Hehe so far I know a fair few people that have had it and whole households do not seem to have been affected by it except in one case! So I guess just be hygenic and carry on?

One friend has it at the moment and he works in a hospital! No need to guess where he caught it then aye? He is in confinement at home right now as well hehe!

[Lex]

Looks like we're going to have something else to die of soon - Seal Flu! Hooray!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19055961

:hide:

[Gladys]

No kissing seals then. I wonder if Great White Sharks will be infected? Will it become Jawsflu if they get it?

[Shizara]

Don't worry, they'll come with a pill or vaccination for it :-P