OK. This bird flu thing. Should we be worried.....

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

That they are transporting these birds 160 miles to be disposed of?

they're dead and in closed containers

no risk

But where did the virus come from in the first place? Is it out there in the open?

My money's on wild birds, probably ducks.

There is a theory that it was sabotage too ! Enemies of Bernard !!

Wild bird theory is favourite at the moment - but the biosecurity at the poultry farm is such that a wild bird should not have been able to get in - but that's should and not definite !

Only other poss is that it is all around us and someone walked some poo into the farm - but unlikely given the levels of wild bird surveillance taking place constantly.

The jury is still out !

It's been mild this winter (wet & windy but not frozen) so it's probably from migrating birds, ducks, geese etc.

I was hoping this had gone away [foolish optimist emoticon]

Our local MP says that she 'appreciates that Pointon's has a reputation for being a little lax on transport'. She's been in talks with ministers to assure herself that there is no danger.

Oh, I suppose if they're Bernards' turkeys then they are permanently indoors - in which case it may not be migrating birds (sorry, migrating birds, I shan't slander you again).

Perhaps the farm bought/hatched infected chicks?

Sag - I'd be concerned at the outcome of a road accident involving the dead-turkey truck. The internal containers would need to be very strong to withstand a big smash.

What do Bernard Matthews do with all the turkey poo? There must be a lot of it?

Gawd Norks don't give me anything else to ponder. I'll give that one to dh to think about - he's a firefighter maybe they'll get to test the new decontamination unit!

Does the turkey poo go into a twisty-shaped turkey-based breadcrumbed 'food' product?

No. Not worried.

Should we be? It's probably what the govt want - they seem to like us scared....

So far the only humans to have caught it from birds are those who live and work very closely amongst them.

So I should imagine that the risk at the momebt to people living in the UK near the birds must be nil.

Last winter, when the media were droning on about this and the virus had been found in Spain, near us, and we had ducks in our garden I looked at the World Health Org's website... sorry can't do a link (or can't be bothered to learn!) but it should be easy to Google.

Their FAQS on Avian flu give balanced, truthful and informative info. Very difficult to get that from the media these days!

Oh FGS - The Government do not want you scared - the government aren't the ones peddling the hysteria ! If you read the official websites rather than the gutter press you'd get a better feel for the truth and the actual science involved !

No.

There are all sorts of things out there that have a greater chance of killing you.

Fio go and lay down!!

Actually I think the govt do like the British public to be scared (though not necessarily about avian 'flu) as it makes it easier for them to bring in new legislation. We are giving up our human rights at a startling rate in this country but we seem to have lost the ability to either tell the govt what it should be doing (as is our right - they serve us after all) or even care. We get the govt we deserve I'm afraid.

Getting back to the point, avian 'flu is not a threat to us - I agree with Scatterbrain completely on this point.

Precisely Callisto. A scared electorate is much easier to persuade.

I said earlier - not worried about bird to person although probably would be if I worked at the rendering plant. More concerned about bird to bird.

And what do they do with turkey poo?

Bernard isn't worried Bootiful Family Food

The poo is probably used as fertilizer. The bird to bird thing is more worrying I agree. I do think the reason we haven't had more avian 'flu outbreaks in the UK is probably because of the mild winter and much less migration.

Remember when John Gummer fed a beefburger to his daughter at the start of the BSE crisis?
Reckon someone from DEFRA needs to bring their child out and feed them turkey twizzlers to put our minds at rest.

Yes, well. He would say that wouldn't he...?