Avian Influenza Pandemic - Prepare or Panic

The Avian Influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, is an infection caused by bird viruses, which are naturally found among birds. Birds usually carry viruses but the Avian Influenza virus is extremely contagious. Fortunately for mankind they have primarily made only domestic birds like ducks, chickens and turkeys very ill. Infected birds carry and transmit the virus through saliva and excretion, which when domesticated birds make contact with these excretions, they too get infected. These birds can then either get mildly ill or they can get severely ill or die.

What is the risk of Avian Influenza to human health?

Fear of an Avian Flu H5N1 pandemic has reached historic percentage of the population. Scientist worldwide tell us that if the Bird Flu changes though a mutated strain that becomes easily transmittable between humans, the result of this sickness and deaths on humanity could be disastrous.

The cause of many of the infected human cases has arisen from direct contact with infected birds or unclean surfaces where their droppings have settled. Everyone should understand that it is currently not common for humans to become infected from other humans. Even though the risk of the H5N1 virus infecting humans is very low, for the few people that has become infected by contact with affected birds, that infection has caused severe illness and has been 50% fatal.

The reason most people are worried is that the potential for avian influenza viruses has the ability to mutate into a new virus, which could affect humans worldwide. What this would mean is that the virus would slowly change into a new virus, which could become easily transmittable from person to person.

Today, there has been no evidence of human-to-human spread of the H5N1 strain. Furthermore there is no concrete evidence that a new avian influenza pandemic is threatening the world. Nevertheless, one cannot be too careful, so everyone sits and waits.

How can we prevent the Avian Influenza?

The only prevention method humans have devised against the avian influenza or bird flu is a vaccination against the illness. But for most of us, common sense should prevail and we should know that when anyone comes into contact with any infected bird, animal or person, make sure that you wash your hands before anything else. By washing you eliminate the change of it entering your eyes or mouth.

Taking some basic steps such as washing your hands frequently and sneezing and coughing into tissues can go a long way in preventing the spread of the virus. It is important to make sure that you stay up to date with yearly flu shots. The current annual flu shots may not prevent the avian flu but it will ensure that you do not get the annual flu. If someone were to have the annual flu and then come into contact with the avian influenza virus, this could be a perfect mix for mutating the Avian Flu strain into something new and more contagious. Some basic precautions to prevent a worldwide pandemic would include:

 

• Many are preparing themselves with an ample supply of NIOSH-approved N-95 filtering face piece, disposable respirators, eye protection, protective gloves, Tyvek suits, hand sanitizer, and other useful personal protective equipment.


• Begin focusing on instructing everyone on the proper donning of equipment, waste disposal and decontamination procedures, where necessary. If you wait until a pandemic occurs, there may not be enough supplies on the shelves to protect you or time to make other preparations.


• Everyone should be sure that his or her first aid (medical) kits are adequately supplied and refreshed. Have readily available extra basic medical supplies including; bandages, pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, etc. All of these items may be useful during other types of emergencies, such as power outages, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, and other natural disasters.


• Make sure that everyone in your family or place of work is aware of personal hygiene, i.e., washing hands with soap and hot water, especially following any food preparation and after trips to the bathrooms. Everyone should clean his or her hands regularly with waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing, etc.


• Encourage family members to have any prescription and non-prescription drugs or other health supplies on-hand, including drinking fluids with electrolytes, vitamins, etc. incases of quarantine or evacuation to a shelter.


• And everyone should begin to store enough supplies at home, i.e., water and food in advance of a pandemic. Remember that during a pandemic, we may not be able to get supplies; stores may be sold out, or could be closed due to illness.



 

Avian Flu: Potential Crisis

Currently, the Bird Flu has been affecting Asia, Middle East and parts of Europe. The rest of the world is keeping a close eye on this illness to make sure that it doesn't cross any more borders. Avian influenza, though common with wild birds, can devastate domesticated birds swiftly and quickly. The potential crisis is that humans do not have built in immunities to this virus. If it mutates and infects humans, they would not be able to fight it off without medical intervention. Since the strain has not yet mutated, there is not a medicine readily available that can cure it. The only way we can fight this potential crisis is through everyone using appropriate prevention measures.