Do not Fear the Bird Flu

The avian bird flu is not your biggest concern in a pandemic outbreak, instead it is the people. Rational behavior will quickly disappear along with law and order should a flu pandemic spread worldwide.

So you have managed to stockpile a few boxes of Tamiflu and probably told a few of your friends. Just how do you think you will repel their attempts to gain access to your medicine where it is a life-or-death situation?

What about food? The initial panic buying at supermarkets will quickly clear warehouses of all the necessities, imperishable food, batteries, water, and drugs. The police will be powerless to help, outnumbered 100's to one, and with their own families to consider. Even the hospitals, overwhelmed with flu infected sick and dying people will have people trying to jump the queue.

Bought a weapon to protect yourself? Just remember, so has everyone else. Expect gangs of weapon wielding irrational people, roaming the streets looking for anything that offers hope. Think you will be safe in your full biohazard suit, sure, until someone without one rips a hole in it.

Watch for Vietnam or china to show us how bad this can get, like some morbid science fiction movie.

At the end of the day you either survive or not, but no one wins.

British Bio Hazard Suits for all

Avian Bird Flu Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Bird flu Bumbling in New Zealand

An opportunity to demonstrate avian bird flu preparedness in New Zealand yesterday failed to impress. Arriving from Australia, a Philippines visitor outwardly showing symptoms of viral infection was tagged by staff as possible risk.

So far so good, then it all went wrong. Within a short space of time the passenger was ?cleared? for release claiming he only had ?regular flu?.

Now I?m not sure what tests the New Zealand authorities have but this is pretty impressive to be able to prove non-existence of avian bird flu with just an ambulance driver performing the tests. Perhaps the rest of the world would benefit from access to this superb test.

More likely guess work was used to assume that the bird flu virus was not raging through the veins of this patient. Remember that the actual symptoms of avian bird flu will not established until a pandemic breaks due to mutation of the virus. In other words the symptoms today are unknown.

What an irresponsible risk to New Zealand though with a plane full of passengers exposed to breath of this person being immediately released into the public areas and to other flights.

If this had been the real deal, the damage could not be undone.

References:
nzherald.co.nz
Bird flu symptoms
Avian bird flu

Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Avian Bird Flu

At a time when access to bird flu antiviral medicines is being denied by legislation and short supply, a new entrant emerges claiming potential to reduce the impact of avian flu. The difference is that this possible cure is readily available and at a low cost for all.

Leuconostoc Kimchii or Kimchi lactic acid bacteria have been tested on bird flu infected chickens claiming recovery from the virus according to one source.

The Kimchi, a Korean fermented cabbage meal similar to the pickled cabbage Sauerkraut dish is claimed to have aided recovery of 11 out of 13 chickens in tests during November 2005.

Though the scientific merits of curing avian bird flu with cabbage have certainly not been proven, nor are we likely to see millions spent on development given the potential lack of return for drug companies - it is probably a simple measure to gain essential vitamins to protect against viral infection.

References
The Seoul Times Comment
Clevelandnews

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Bird Flu Symptoms