Bird Flu - "Where are you?"

[Davaroo]

If you'll remember, not too long ago (last year!) we were to be wiped out by avian flu. Virulent strains with acronyms for names were lurking around every corner, in every chicken yard and shrub.
Every terrorist worth the name had a few infected chickens on hand to do his dirty work, we were told. Chicken Bio-terrorism was the scare of the moment, then and everyone was laying in a supply of face masks.

Today... nuttin. So where DO we stand on this menace?

 

[Lunachick]

I was just thinking of this. I'm just waiting for the next scare tactic. But I've learned something...ignore the media and hype.

Look at all the people getting chickens, interesting isn't it?

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I know that there are real problems but sometimes I think our gov. uses these type of things to 'encourage' (re: scare) us into 'going' along with such things as the IDing of farm animals.. With ever scare-we seem to give them more control!! JMHO! Dixie

 

[gypsygirl1421]

I agree, the media hype is the worst. The reason people died from bird flu was because these people lived in close proximity to their poultry, like they walked in and out of their dwellings with dropping on the floor. The kids that got it were found to have been playing baseball with a chicken head. Remember, 3rd world country. The outbreaks into farm and food flocks were more serious. Both the USDA and USFWS are still monitoring for bird flu. So far, there have been some cases of the low-path version, but not the H5N1. It is thought that if it shows up here, it will likely come through with migrating waterfowl. They are the ones that get checked the most, either through hunter harvests or rounding up flightless geese, or mist-netting migrating shorebirds to test for the virus. So there is still a lot of monitoring out there, the media just isn't focusing on it. Take it from me, I have personally invaded the privacy of some 300 or so very disgruntled geese, or swabbed the remenants fof their last meal, and will be doing it again this summer

 

[MiniDriver]

My boyfriend called yesterday, worrying that we'd kill all of Boston with the Bird Flu.

I calmly replied that there are no reported instances in North America. That the only way for our chickens to catch the disease would be from wild fowl, who have never been seen in our backyard. And, finally, even if our chickens managed to hobnob with some Thai geese and come down with bird flu, using universal precautions (handwashing, etc.) would prevent transmission to us.

Sigh.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I know a few people that I'd purposely infect if that was possible...
Hi DAvid! Long time no see!!!
I have 2, well, one now, chickens living in my house, but I don't let the poop build up to rooftop level and make sure that they have fresh air and water and food.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

That is what the NAIS wants to do is scare everyone so they can enforce their ID system of monitoring our animals.

 

[Cheekon]

Quote:
Maybe their all terrorists trying to get their hands on these new lethal weapons......

 

[morelcabin]

I think it has alot to do with them trying to scare us into reporting livestock, and if we don't our neighbors will:>) I think it also may have been a 'push' for the general public to get the regular flu vaccine they are forcing on everyone now. Many people will think the flu vaccine will protect them from all flus...if only people were better informed...

 

[kodiakchicken]

This is an interesting post because I was just talking to my hub about this last night. Last year it was the avian bird flu and then last night I heard on the news that 14 people in China have died from hoof and mouth disease!!! Maybe we just need to take China as an example and learn NOT to pack millions of people into tiny, unsanitary living conditions with livestock!!! Besides the fact, many of the folks that got the bird flu were using roosters in cock-fighting, which means blood, scratches and disease.

Um, yeah, don't think I'll be doing that.