Bird flu - now it's here what precautions will you take?

[jmum6]

Now it's reported in Scotland it's only a matter of time before it works it way south.

So will you take any precautions?

My mum and dad keep free range chickens, bantams and parakeets, should I carry on visiting with a 7month old ds?

Hello Everyone,

When the press are quoting that the nation is in a state of tension and panic, who are they quoting? Maybe they should check out these boards? I have three lovely children, but the threat of BF is not bothering me in the slightest. I will be going to Sainsbury's and buying all the half price chicken! Every day we are under a new threat, and I just think life is for living, you roll the dice and take your chance. Who cares if 14 birds have the flu? There are Billions up above us! Look at the odds. At the moment you have better chances of winning the lottery than contracting Avian Flu. Should we be unfortunate to be in a position where we are blowing chickens bottoms (see number 18!) then my family will deal with it at the time. FFS, think about all the people who died in the Tsunami and Earthquake and think about the amount of time they had to prepare for that - we are lucky. I wish the press would stop sensationalising everything. Remember the flesh eating bacteria a few years ago? We were all told if we caught it it would eat us? Two people died. Sad, but not endemic! Sorry to rant. xx

I don't understand the "14 birds being tested" headlines. The guy from Defra was on the radio this morning saying that the lab tests 120 birds a week - and this swan was the first one that's kicked up a positive - it's almost routine testing, as it were. So why all the hoohah about another 14 birds getting tested?! I'm confused...

It's the media trying to panic us. I'm sure that they think the UK population are idiots, unable to make decisions on our own. They blow everything out of proportion and make a huge fuss about everything. As an example, they made out that the whole of the UK, all however many million of us, were against Camilla, and therfore the monarchy would fall to it's knees! Well it hasn't happened. They just try to get the biggest headlines and sensationalise everything.
As far as i'm aware there are more people currently dying from other things - car crshes, other illnesses, earthquakes and war, than there are dying from bird flu. As someone said, 100 plus have died from it in a worldwide population of billions

there was some stupid woman on the news this morning who keeps chickens and says that if asked she will not keep them inside because 'its cruel' WTF!!! With people like this we stand no chance. Does she not understand that they'll all bloody die anyway if one of them gets the bird flu, so being cruel by locking them in a chicken house is nothing

Anyone seen the movie 'Wag the Dog'? Dejas vue???

Well said saltire, the media's not at all sensastionalist is it?

No extra precautions here. I'll certainly not be avoiding duck ponds, will carry on eating free range chicken and duck etc.
Why do people get in such a tizz ?
I concede that if my children get bird poo on their hands I'll make sure it's thoroughly washed off...so no change there then.

A strain of H5N1 which can be transmitted from person to person is hypothetical. It may or may not occur.

On the other hand, there is a very real measles outbreak happening in the southwest and also in the Dumfries & Galloway area of Scotland.

Free range won't be, any more, will it?

A boy has died in Germany from this virus hasn't he? It was all over the news here last night.

i'm certainly more worried about the measles outbreak at the moment.

i hadn't heard that rhubarb!

chrissie read your post as 'the threat of breastfeeding isn't worrying me in the slightest'...

He lived on a poultry farm.

or if they sneeze.

Maybe now people will leave wildlife alone. Much better for both parties.

A boy has died from it in Europe? How old was he?

dunno, it was on our news last night, some government official in Germany stating how serious it all was, they used the term 'boy' and he had died, pretty sure it was from the virus, they showed the farm all cordoned off too, I'll try to find it.

The swan was apparantly native and not one that migrated to Britain

Funny, I can't find anything about it now, but I swear I got it right on the news, even dh confirmed it! Must try to practice my French more! Very irritating when I get stuff wrong!

yes, and? it was bound to happen. this strain of influenza is known to have been in the avian population for nine years.

unless you live on a free range poultry farm, i don't see what all the panic is about.

is no one concerned about the measles outbreak at all?

True but that is my worry, with my parents and their bloody free range chickens, and next door and his bloody racing pigeons I'm surrounded!