I am a critical care transport nurse and am exposed to anything and everything. My company is a huge national corporation (AMR) and have not even given the Bird Flu any thought. I have been a thorn in their side, at least here in San Diego, and they are just now starting to think about this. I want them to order nanomasks for all the employees and they are "looking into it". In the meantime, it sounds that if the nanomasks are not cost effective then maybe one of the other coated masks might be.
I don't know yet what I plan to do if there is a real pandemic. Your website and newletter is the only real good information out there. Thank you so much for the good work.
Katherine
Here's a great link that explains the various mask ratings:
N95 - Disposable Respirators
The only other coated mask is the Triosyn T-3000, which is also one of the most expensive. The most economical, although not coated, is the Alpha Pro Tech. If you want to send me your address I will put a sample one in the mail to you.
This is great! At least I have reassurance that I can
receive useful information on regular basis. Many
thanks for this infomation.
Mamo
Dr Mamo Jawla
Disease Prevention & Control Officer
World Health Organisation
Banjul, The Gambia
Thanks for the update. I have not yet ordered your products, but my sister has and was highly satisfied w. your professional response. What are your backgrounds?
Barbara
Barbara...
Please refer to the About Us link at the top of our website.
I have 2 questions----can people get the bird flu by eating poultry that has been infected or does cooking the meat kill the virus? Also, you mentioned ducks----can they get it?
Roxanne
The H5N1 virus is sensitive to heat. Normal temperatures used for cooking (70oC in all parts of the food) will kill the virus. Consumers need to be sure that all parts of the poultry are fully cooked (no “pink” parts) and that eggs, too, are properly cooked (no “runny” yolks).
Consumers should also be aware of the risk of cross-contamination. Juices from raw poultry and poultry products should never be allowed, during food preparation, to touch or mix with items eaten raw. When handling raw poultry or raw poultry products, persons involved in food preparation should wash their hands thoroughly and clean and disinfect surfaces in contact with the poultry products Soap and hot water are sufficient for this purpose.
In areas experiencing outbreaks in poultry, raw eggs should not be used in foods that will not be further heat-treated as, for example by cooking or baking.
Wild Ducks carry the virus but seem to have an immunity to actually catching the flu. Domestic ducks can catch the bird flu.
Thank you.
I am making something called a "hot " book for my family to use now and when we need it during a pandemic. I print out the newsletter, lists of things that we need, research from other sites and ideas. Thank you so much for your very wanted help.
Stacy
Thank you very much for sending me the flyers, I've already started to pin them up in my community.
I have a question for you if you can't answer perhaps you could point me in the right direction.
If this pandemic hits and people don't or can't get out to work, whats happens to those who have mortgages on there homes? Are people going to lose there homes because they don't want to be out in the public???
Thanks Again
Shelly
Good question, Shelly.
Chances are pretty certain that the real estate market will collapse as commerce shuts down. If we see the massive deaths that some people are predicting, there are going to be a lot of empty homes out there. It's very unlikely that banks would re-possess them since there would likely be no market for them. They will probably bend over backwards trying to make it easy for the mortgagee to continue living in his home and paying whatever he can.
Consider this...
If you have a $300,000 home with a $200,000 mortgage today, the same home might be only worth $150,000 after a pandemic. You'd be smart to let it go and then re-buy it. You'll have made $50,000 -- and the bank will have lost $50,000.
If it was just one or two people who were defaulting on their mortgage payments the authorities could deal with it. But it will be in the millions.
The economy, as we know it, will be in chaos -- and everyone will be a victim.
There are skeptics out there who think this is a scam, and I don't
know what to tell them. Can you help me straighten them out?
Thanks,
Martin
We know what you mean.
I'm sure there were skeptics back in 1918 as well, even as the bodies were piling up. Just as there were those who didn't believe that Katrina would hit New Orleans, in spite of all the satellite photos and the warnings.
Part of the problem is there all the Chicken Littles running around proclaiming that the sky is falling in over every perceived threat. It's hard to know who to disregard and who to take seriously.
We do have a supply of brochures available if you'd like some to hand out. Once people start reading some of the facts surrounding the issue they might start to think.
Julie
The virus is catching up with me. Its gotten to Nigeria and we share a common border. I did read too that a Pandemic is inevitable! Is this true? Has the virus mutated yet? Is human to human transmission inevitable?
Regards, Jerry
Jerry...
When virologists say that a pandemic is inevitable, they're not necessarily referring to the current H5N1 strain. Pandemics are like earthquakes and hurricanes. They have always been and they will continue to be. So in that sense, they are inevitable, but nobody knows for sure when the next one will happen. There are many disturbing signs that indicate that the current H5N1 virus could trigger a pandemic, but so far it hasn't happened.
Do you know if pigeons get the bird flu? We have 40 beautiful racing pigeons and 4 common pigeons. No, my husband does not race any more so the 4 commons are our "babies" also. If I am outside and they are hungry the will come get me. They fly around me and back to their loft and if I don't move soon enough for them, they do it again. If they are flying and I want them I can call them down. Maybe I am a pigeon "whisperer". lol
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Thank you so much for all the information you send. It is greatly appreciated. I run a small school on our property and have 8 students, most of whom have difficulty with large classrooms. Your homeschooling advice is helping me prepare my students and their parents in case this flu reaches the US.
Have a great weekend....Janie
Janie...
To answer your question, here is an article that was just published today in the Scotsman:
Pigeons 'may bring deadly bird flu to city centres'
RHIANNON EDWARD
PIGEONS could carry the deadly form of bird flu into city centres, experts warned yesterday.
The feral birds, already considered a health hazard in urban areas, are capable of being infected and killed by the H5N1 strain, scientists have learned.
It is not known to what extent pigeons are able to carry and spread the virus, but Dr Bob McCracken, a former president of the British Veterinary Association, said all species should be considered at risk if H5N1 was confirmed in British wild birds.
"In the event of the infection being present in our wild bird population, there is a danger to all avian species, wild, feral and domestic - and that includes pigeons," he said. "We have at this stage to assume that all avian species are capable of being infected with this virus, unless we know otherwise."
Pigeon fanciers could keep their birds indoors, but he was able to offer no advice on how to deal with feral birds. Asked what could be done about pigeons with the virus infesting London's Trafalgar Square or other city-centre sites he said: "That would be very difficult to control."
Inhaling faecal dust from infected pigeons could potentially present a serious health risk to humans. People who have died after catching bird flu from chickens are thought to have inhaled dried discharges or faeces, or had the particles come into contact with their eyes. Pigeons are already known to spread psittacosis in their faeces - a flu-like illness that can lead to pneumonia, liver disease and death.
Since the present bird-flu epidemic emerged in 2003, there have been 173 cases of human infection and 93 deaths.
Experts believe the chances of wild birds spreading the virus to humans are extremely low but cannot be ignored.
The main known carriers of H5N1 are waterfowl such as ducks, geese and poultry. Deaths due to the virus have also been reported in crows, thrushes, starlings, pigeons, doves and hawks.
Hi Bob,
I have been taking good note of your e-mails for quite a while and am
very appreciative of your efforts. Obviously you do a lot of research
and communication.
I have a question for which I have not been able to get a straight
answer.
I live in Outback Australia - far from anyone and any civilisation
accept of course for birds - mostly local in nature and not water birds.
If in even of a pandemic we were to remain isolated and not make contact
with anyone for the period and of course take the hygiene precautions
you make so very clear - would our chance of infection be greatly
reduced or would we be safer moving to the population where we can get
vaccinated and a small degree of medical help?
Many thanks
Jock
Jock...
Personally, I'd stay put.
I spent 8 months in my youth working on a sheep station in the Australian outback and it's probably the last place (outside of Antarctica) that the H5N1 virus will find its way to.
In the event of a pandemic it will be virtually impossible to get medical help anyway. So stay clear of people and you'll be ok.
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