Avian flu???

[minnie56]

I am continually dumbfounded as to why the world runs scared at the thought of outbreaks that mostly originate from Asia when surely the best thing would be prevention??

Sars, Avian flu to mention 2 ..originated there and until the use of these animals, the norm and the obscure is governed and the hygenic, not to mention ethical treatment of them changes there will be outbreaks and cross-contamination over and over.

All these world leaders are so 'smart' in saying we have Pandemics coming and we are unprepared but with the preocupation of the usage of animals in Asia for unusual foods, drugs, herbs etc....and the primitive manner in which they are slaughterd, what will change??We are only a plane full of people away from the transportation of whatever deadly disease is brewing now!

O.K, soapbox is going away now! Just my thoughts...

 

[weaselboy]

I am continually dumbfounded as to why the world runs scared at the thought of outbreaks that mostly originate from Asia when surely the best thing would be prevention??

Sars, Avian flu to mention 2 ..originated there and until the use of these animals, the norm and the obscure is governed and the hygenic, not to mention ethical treatment of them changes there will be outbreaks and cross-contamination over and over.

All these world leaders are so 'smart' in saying we have Pandemics coming and we are unprepared but with the preocupation of the usage of animals in Asia for unusual foods, drugs, herbs etc....and the primitive manner in which they are slaughterd, what will change??We are only a plane full of people away from the transportation of whatever deadly disease is brewing now!

O.K, soapbox is going away now! Just my thoughts...

what is your point?

 

[minnie56]

Just digressing...I get tired of all the panic and foreboding in the news.

Looking at many of the posts here lately I wasn't aware there had to be a point!

 

[weaselboy]

so ... should we go out and buy an avian flu mask?

 

[minnie56]

We should elect people who can see where the system breaks down!! God help us in their hands.

 

[weaselboy]

you are scary.

 

[Charade]

We should elect people who can see where the system breaks down!! God help us in their hands.

Like who?

 

[minnie56]

I don't think so...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

So what do you propose--that the leaders of the non-bird flu countries all of a sudden commandeer Asia and teach them the proper way of disease prevention?


That would go over REAL well!

 

[minnie56]

I am not sure how to fix the problem?

They know the sources, they know it comes from animals (different ones relate to different diseases) yet these age old practices are allowed to go on and airline travel has no control over who gets on or off and whatever they bring with them? When we had such serious Sars outbreaks here in Canada last year, should all travel from the source not have been suspended temporarily? Why doesn't that ever happen? If Avian is out there, and again they know where, why not quarantine an area until it is under control or a vaccine found?

 

[minnie56]

Wouldn't that be a place for the W.H.O to begin? YES imo

 

[minnie56]

Go to places such as Ethiopia and teach them how to farm in order to grow food, what IS wrong with teaching disease prevention?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Go to places such as Ethiopia and teach them how to farm in order to grow food, what IS wrong with teaching disease prevention?

3rd world country---meet---not third world country.

 

[minnie56]

But some of their eating and medicinal practices are pretty primitive!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

But some of their eating and medicinal practices are pretty primitive!

And in our country we have the 5 second rule. You cannot dictate a culture.

They have bad water in Mexico---you learn not to drink it when you go. The people who live there are used to it.

As far as I know--this bird flu thing isn't starting out in the middle of primitive Asia. The past outbreaks of disease occurred in cities.

I think any pandemic could just as easily start here. We haven't cured the common cold and that whole flu shot business, doesn't guarantee that you won't get sick.

 

[minkydog]

Flu viruses have emanated from China for centuries.But what you are asking is for a whole society to Change their culture and way of life radically. Most of them are poor farmers, many are not even literate. Raising chickens, pigs, and ducks is what they do, what all their ancestors did. They live in very close proximity with their animals under the house or even in the house. Even if they know it can make them sick, they'll keep doing it because they don't have anything else. It's a cultural thing.

If you have large portions of society in another country that are unwilling or unable to change, what do you do? All we can do is prepare for the inevitable. Humans have no immunity to this virus. The people who have been affected by avian flu so far have largely been those with direct contact, either raising or slaughtering the birds. That's why developing a vaccine is so important. Once this flu viru mutates so that it can go from person to person, we're toast.

I'm not an alarmist. I think a lot of stuff we see on the news is designed with the "ratings factor" in mind. But knowing how viruses mutate and how they circulate and spread, this situation is a bit chilling.

 

[minnie56]

Chilling.

And what can be done until a Vaccine comes to make change?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Chilling.

And what can be done until a Vaccine comes to make change?

Practice good hygiene to mitigate your risks.

 

[minnie56]

I do that already...but it's scary. Especially when they refer to it as the same strain as that in the 1918 Pandemic and you realize we really haven't come that far since then if we still have little defence against it?

 

[DawnCt1]

I am not sure how to fix the problem?

They know the sources, they know it comes from animals (different ones relate to different diseases) yet these age old practices are allowed to go on and airline travel has no control over who gets on or off and whatever they bring with them? When we had such serious Sars outbreaks here in Canada last year, should all travel from the source not have been suspended temporarily? Why doesn't that ever happen? If Avian is out there, and again they know where, why not quarantine an area until it is under control or a vaccine found?

If I remember correctly, flights from infected areas were suspended and Canada quarantined the affected areas and hospitals. Those methods were effective.