Days after human-to-human transmission was reported in Indonesia, sales of anti-viral medications started to climb in America. Why should this surprise you? I bought some myself that week. I think its only sensible.
Why are you scaring people with wrong information? Half of what you've posted is not true.
First of all, bird flu has been found recently only in infected birds in Romania, Turkey and Russia. To my knowledge, those are the first reported cases outside of SE Asia. I have heard of no report of the flu in birds in Finland. In addition, there has been no avian flu found in the people of Romania, Russia and Turkey.....just in birds who were infected by the migration of birds from Russia. And since Finland is a cold climate, its unlikely birds from Russia would migrate there.
Secondly, there have been only three confirmed deaths of bird flu in humans in Indonesia. In addition, a girl, 5 years old, who died after going to a zoo showed influenza like symptoms but confirmation of what caused her death has not been made to date. The three who did die from the avian flu were people who lived in close proximity to birds. Understandably, there is a certain amt of hysteria in Indonesia at the present time that is leading to rumors. For an example, a man recently claimed to have had bird flu actually died of pneumonia.
timesonline.co.uk
Thirdly, there is absolutely no evidence to date that the avian flu has mutated to allow for human to human spreading of the disease. I believe what the press is saying because the CDC in Atlanta is saying the same thing to my cousin who is an MD. The spreading of the disease is still from bird to human.
Fourthly, there is a vaccine for the avian flu. However, it requires a double shot given over a two month period. That is a very ineffective way to immunize the world's population so scientists are looking for an adjuvant that will permit the reduction of the vaccine needed to one dose and still be effective.
Fifthly, until there is a vaccine, the only medicine that will mitigate against the worst of the symptoms is Tamiflu or Relenza.
Sixthly, this flu is very similar to the one that caused a pandemic in 1918-1920. Recently, scientists replicated the genetic structure of the 1918 avian flu and the structure was very similar to the current one. If they prove to infect in the same way, it won't be the elderly or children who are most susceptible. Instead, it will be 20 and 30 somethings.
Seventhly, one of the best ways to prevent the spread of any flu is to wash your hands frequently esp. after being in public......school, work, the gym etc. And people who are sick need to stay home.
Eightly, some scientists believe the current avian flu needs to go through several mutations before it can effectively spread from person to person rather than from bird to human. If so, it may be several years before we are threatened with a pandemic. And by then, we may have sufficient vaccine to stop its uninhibited spread. That's the only silver lining in this mess.
So please stop with the half truths.......you are doing no one any favors. |
