U.S. Health Official Says Flu Threat High

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Should we, as pet chicken owners be concerned with this?

CDC Director Says Bird-Flu Fatigue Is Growing Concern

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A top U.S. health official said the threat of a bird-flu pandemic remains high. And while the world has made great strides to prepare, they're not enough.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Julie Gerberding said bird-flu fatigue among countries and the public is a growing concern.

Scientists have identified the H5N1 bird-flu virus as a potential candidate that could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people.

Doctor Gerberding told a news conference in Malaysia Saturday that when it comes to news, people have very short attention spans. She said it's up to governments and leaders "to be very strategic" in dealing with problems like flu in order to "fill in for the tendency toward complacency."

 

[inudat12]

It would be nice to see the whole article. If possible please post it or a link.

Thx
Tracy

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Quote:
Tracy "it would be nice" if they had actually written or posted more themselves but alas.

That IS the whole article as posted on the news channel site I read it on.

If one of my more "paranoid" neighbors should read something like this. With no other information. Then look out the window and see my small flock of chickens. They will FREAK out! I would have the BOH down here in a heart beat demanding i kill my pets.
When a man in my home town got EEE years ago there was practically a lynch mob at our door over night demanding we move our horses out of town or put them down. Or both.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I suppose we should be concerned if H5N1 ever comes to the U.S., which it hasn't. The real threat is stupid, panicky people and a media that loves to sensationalise a story.

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
I agree it take very specific components to make a virus mutate certain strains of avian influenza has been here in the US practically for ever. The media does love a great "scary" story and so do people.

Henry

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Quote:
For sure. A while ago, when all the bruhaha about bird flu was going around and the government was killing birds out west, one of my UPS drivers refused to bring any packages through my front gate which is only 20 ft. from the front door because he saw a few chickens in the yard. Left the stuff in the driveway. Said they were a "BIO HAZARD"! Aaaarrrggghhhh.

How ridiculous was that?

Things have cooled down but the media often blows things WAY out of proportion just to make news of any kind.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
For sure. A while ago, when all the bruhaha about bird flu was going around and the government was killing birds out west, one of my UPS drivers refused to bring any packages through my front gate which is only 20 ft. from the front door because he saw a few chickens in the yard. Left the stuff in the driveway. Said they were a "BIO HAZARD"! Aaaarrrggghhhh.

How ridiculous was that?

Things have cooled down but the media often blows things WAY out of proportion just to make news of any kind.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I have a shirt that says "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups". Very true!