Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Flip

Original poster

with bird flu in turkey would you take the family there?

18 replies

tatt · 05/01/2006 14:22

I know there were reports suggesting the recent deaths weren't bird flu but the WHO seem pretty sure they were. Have been wondering about to turkey on holiday but I'm nervous fort he children. What do you think?

OP posts:

Flossam · 05/01/2006 14:24

Yes. It's a big country and the disease is still not infectious human to human. When were you going?

beejay · 05/01/2006 14:42

It's only in the very far east of turkey near iran. Far more likely to get run over than contract bird flu. The threat to humans has been massively over-hyped by the media IMHO -- and I work in the media

Having said that I wouldn't play with any sick-looking chickens.

cori · 05/01/2006 14:46

Well, these are the first cases in Turkey. The flu has travelled there since last year. So it seems to moving quite fast, though its not widespread yet. When are you going? I dont think I would book anything yet.

nailpolish · 05/01/2006 14:46

i think moondog lives near the iran border, dont know if she is about

Blandmum · 05/01/2006 15:03

Yes I would go. It has not mutated to be able to pass from human to human. So unless you were planning to have a holiday looking after birds, your risk is minimal. Travelling in a car is far more dangerous.

daisy1999 · 05/01/2006 15:05

I would probably still go if already booked but if I'm honest If we hadn't booked I'd look elsewhere.

Blandmum · 05/01/2006 15:09

I did a bit of research on the risks of all of this.

ATM the bird flu hasn't mutated. If it does the worst case scenario that is being predicted is that 5 times as many people will due if flu than is normal in a usual year (12,000 die each year in the UK of flu as it is.....most of us have no idea!)

The relative risk if the flu mutates and if it is as bad as the worst case the risk is less than a man getting testicular cancer.

Hands up how many people worry about their dh getting testicular cancer? And the risk will be less than that. So while it is sensible for governemnts to prepare, it probably isn't worth getting upset and worried about this.

Original poster

tatt · 05/01/2006 15:41

may not worry about testicular cancer but I do try to feed him tomatoes for his prostrate. We haven't booked a holiday yet, just wondering if I can face doing so. One of my kids seems to catch everything going atm.

OP posts:

beejay · 05/01/2006 15:53

124 people have caught bird flu world wide. TBH your chidren are more likely to catch virtually any other disease going. It is extremely rare

lapsedrunner · 05/01/2006 19:12

Yes

Original poster

tatt · 06/01/2006 06:45

still wavering, don't think I'd want to eat any chicken while I was there and its the only meat the kids like.

OP posts:

Blandmum · 06/01/2006 06:48

Cooking meat distroys the virus.

Pruni · 06/01/2006 08:51

Message withdrawn

moondog · 08/01/2006 21:55

I'm trying not to spend quite so much time on MN this year but just to tell you tatt that we live in the region that bird flu has hit first (Van province.)

I have visited the town where the family whose children have died live and the other sick people are in a hospital about 1/2 km from my flat (really!!!)

However,my dh will be returning to Van on Saturday and I will be going with my two children in April.

Hope this reassures you.

Original poster

tatt · 09/01/2006 06:28

actually the latest stories of largish numbers of people in hospital with flu like symptoms have been making me wonder if it has jumped the person to person barrier yet. So I won't be booking anything for a few days.

OP posts:

Blandmum · 09/01/2006 07:19

The family of three children who sadly died lived with chickens in their house. they had toys made of bones of the infected birds.

The second confirmed out break the family were all known to have come in contact with infected bird blood.

nailpolish · 09/01/2006 07:30

moondog i have been thinking about you and have been a bit worried, please be careful and look after you and yours. i cant believe how close you are

np xxx

PrincessPeaHead · 09/01/2006 08:09

mind you it has now moved to Ankara as well, which is MILES away from Van (Van in the very far East, Ankara practically the geographic centre). TBH I wouldn't book a holiday there at the moment, just because there are so many other places to go, so why go there if you don't have to?

Flip