Are you guys prepping for a potential pandemic (bird flu)?

cosmicsskipper55 said:Maybe there was a misunderstanding: the top report comes from the World Health Organization (people), not the World Health Organization (swans). Maybe the death toll discrepancy is just a result of this mix-up.😁

Secondly, it’s pretty significant in this whole bird flu narrative to realize that it actually attacks birds. I mean, it isn't weird for a bird to get bird flu and die from it. The real question is why we've been obsessing over bird flu for the last three years when nobody gave a damn before that. Does anyone honestly think there weren't swans with bird flu before 2003?

No, I meant the WHO..

Regarding the fact that "bird flu is a disease of birds"—almost every flu in humans caused by a virus has an avian origin.
Birds carry thousands of viruses that have zero intention or desire to jump to humans. Some have jumped and evolved into human forms (like H1N1, for instance—the 1918 Spanish Flu virus), some cases pass through harmlessly, and others end up being lethal to people.
In recorded history, avian viruses haven't just "jumped" directly from birds to humans; the first documented case was in Hong Kong back in 1997 (where 6 people died—it's a really interesting report on the Hong Kong government website).
http://www.info.gov.hk/dh/diseases/ph&eb/9902.htm#1

The avian viruses that ARE dangerous to humans belong to the H5 and H7 groups.
The problem with H5 is the simple fact that the world currently doesn't have commercially developed vaccines for H5 viruses, and it's impossible to mass-produce them fast enough given how quickly this virus mutates..

http://www.answers.com/topic/h5n1

So why is the world panicking so much right now?

The current, "slightly modified" virus is the exact same one found in Qinghai Lake in Western China last year.
Independent Chinese news outlet Boxun was reporting numerous human casualties back then, which China denied... they shut people up and covered things up..

Since then, the situation with the virus has changed drastically. The virus spread from China across the globe via migratory birds.. there are tons of birds acting as so-called vectors—they don't show signs of being sick, but they carry the virus with them. Swans killed or found in the US had the same virus as those from Qinghai Lake, Chinese poultry did too.. just like the human cases in Turkey.s with the caveat that in the Turkish human cases, you can see (a small) difference—exactly what scientists worldwide are terrified of—that the virus is mutating into a form that is dangerous to humans.

And I won't keep repeating myself, here are more details on this (46 pages 😁):

Oh, well, if you truly insist on being frightened by avian diseases—who am I to stand in your way? As far as I am concerned, Roche won't be seeing a single cent from me. 😁

Jamie Clark74 said:Don't be so aggressive, I heard about that thing from the local health clinic—I can't even remember the name now,
but it definitely has that H5N1 virus... don't let it reach the expat communities out west, it'll wipe everyone out!😁

Arslane, just take it easy on the meds and cut back on the prescriptions 🙄 while you're at it, you'd be doing Verica a huge favor, and honestly, you'd be helping us too since I landed in Australia in exactly 7 hours, 25 minutes, and 3 seconds🙄 So yeah, I'm SICK, totally SICK by 3 P.M.😁

The only thing that might fix you is a bullet; bird flu isn't going to touch someone living on substances like you do😁

Tvrtko1995 said:I honestly feel like I already got through the worst of it about two weeks ago.

Just a few days of tea and some Aspirin... and now I'm feeling totally fine.

Is that really all there is to it?

Nah, 😱 😁

You’ll know you're officially in the clear when you're running around the backyard like a frantic chicken 😍 and realize that's finally IT! 😘

cosmicskipper55 said:... 160 people infected across six countries, with 85 deaths reported,

Given how low the mortality rate actually is—just a little over fifty percent—there is NO damn reason to freak out...

Look, I’m not usually the type to lose my cool, but I am genuinely worried about whether this turns into a full-blown pandemic. If it does, even top-tier high-tech healthcare systems won't be able to pull much weight. Especially not some budget, quasi-socialist Canadian-style system; they won't be able to do anything meaningful to help people once things go south.

My biggest worry is my two kids, especially since my oldest deals with childhood asthma. Honestly, I don't know if it's crazy to stock up on enough essentials to last us two or three months. When it comes to my kids' survival kit, we're basically talking two bottles of Heinz ketchup and maybe a few boxes of Kinder Eggs.

So, how's everything looking in your neck of the woods?
Are you guys actually eating chicken?

I'm actually baking it right now! 😍

And oh my gosh, I heard that bird flu in Germany mutated into some kind of cat cough. 😱 😁

Honestly, you don’t hear much about it around here—at least, I haven't heard a peep. I don't sit around glued to the news, but if they were broadcasting it, you can bet they'd be cranking up the panic levels. For me, the biggest stressor is my little one; once you have kids, suddenly everything feels like a massive deal, and that's where the real anxiety kicks in. Personally, I'm feeling a bit more level-headed about it all. My plan is pretty simple: we'll just stock up on supplies, and if things actually kick off, we aren't stepping foot outside until the storm blows over. As of right now, we’re eating like nothing is even happening. I did spend some time digging through those links you sent regarding the United Kingdom, and man, looking at how they're planning to handle this... it looks like a complete and utter disaster from every angle, so if people there are freaking out daily, I can't say I blame them. Over here, the conversation is surprisingly quiet. I’m really holding out hope that they’ll stumble upon a breakthrough or manage to squash this pandemic before it gets worse, but frankly, I'm not putting any faith in the healthcare system to save us. You just have to trust your own gut and rely on your own strength.😉

Must be nice living up in Aspen without even having a TV yet... haha. Like that old saying goes, news travels via Native American trails... all the way from Canada back to Aspen. Do you guys even have power out there? Or do you just multiply in the dark? How is your computer even working? I’m asking a lot of questions here, but maybe you won't get them all since you might be sitting in the dark.😁

P.S. Laughter is the best medicine for pain... it's the only damn thing that works!

Angela Kelly said:What’s the situation like where you guys live?
Are you still eating chicken?

Well, back when I was young and reckless, I didn't give a damn about any of that... haha.😁

P.S.
A good laugh and some fun are the best ways to handle pain.😉

Angela Kelly said:Bird flu is coming... no one really knows how deadly it will be for us yet... (and who knows when it hits 😁)

Americans, Canadians, Englishmen, Frenchmen... (and even Americans) ..some have already stockpiled huge amounts of food and medicine. They plan to quarantine with their families and stay indoors for maybe three months! (That's the current guess.)

I'm still torn. I've been studying this for months because both my little one and I are in a high-risk group—you know, people prone to catching things easily, like asthmatics. Part of me feels like this is someone else's problem, like it won't reach us... or maybe it will, but more like some new "millennium bug" situation.

Americans and Canadians are generally pretty paranoid and fearful nations. They build bunkers for potential terrorist attacks and all that... but once I saw the "pandemic preparedness" guides at my local pharmacy and doctor's office, I started looking into it more seriously. So yeah, I've picked up some extra food, vitamins, and cleaning supplies.

But then I happened to read this:
http://www.londonprepared.gov.uk/flu.htm
And I have to say, it's not comforting to read that we should expect gas, electricity, or water to cut out... that seems impossible to me.
Now the Mayor of Paris is giving similar instructions...
European Union officials met tonight... they're talking about preparations...
And the main advice being given to the public is basically:
"Stay home and fend for yourself."
Or that representative from the United Nations (WHO) said yesterday that in a pandemic, preserving energy and food sources might become more important than saving human lives.

Then I read about Americans and their incredible stories of underground food shelters, water supplies, and heating reserves...

There's no way I could heat anything other than using city gas or electricity. I've forgotten everything I learned back in scouting days😁, and I've never been a camper... I don't think I'd handle those kinds of situations well if stores were empty or closed, or if it became too dangerous to go outside due to crime... not to mention the illnesses.

The idea of gas, water, and power cutting out really bothered me. It still feels impossible.

I'm curious how it is in your parts... is there talk about bird flu? Are people prepping? Are you personally getting ready?

😂 😂 😂
I'm going to go ask my neighbors if they've stocked up😬 ...as for me, I just made some delicious roasted chicken for dinner the other night...

I guess I can start panicking like you did the moment the virus jumpsover to humans... for now, we just have cat flu.😬 😲

Hey, Sarah James4, maybe check out this link just to be safe! It's got some tips on how to avoid bird flu. 😉

😬 :klap: 😂 😂 😂 😂 You really cracked me up!!!!

Angela Kelly said:Bird flu is on the horizon... how lethal it actually turns out to be for humanity is still anyone's guess, and we have no idea when it might hit.

Americans, Canadians, the British, the French... (and even Americans) ...some people have already started stockpiling food and medicine. They’re planning to hunker down with their families and quarantine, if that's the right word—staying indoors for about three months, which is what everyone seems to be assuming!

It would be a lot easier if people like you didn't spread so much panic... when do you even find the time to work?
People used to prep for the Cold War and nuclear strikes, and that never happened. Compared to how many people die every single day from preventable diseases, this is nothing. Ninety deaths? In a territory this size, that's negligible. Everyone is just spreading fear and tricking people into buying useless medications.
Take it easy. We all know what's going on; we're all reading the WHO and other sources. Besides, you're constantly posting about this on the health forum anyway... there's no need to bring it up on both subforums.😁

First off, I’m not trying to start a panic here, and I’m definitely not citing some shady, unreliable source.
The way bird flu is spreading globally through migratory birds is honestly unprecedented in my lifetime, and frankly, it's something I find pretty fascinating to look into.
I'm just writing because I feel like it, and honestly, I just feel like it.
Besides, I'm not out here spamming millions of threads just to try and convince anyone—including myself—that some disease or outside factor is the reason for my own life's shortcomings.
If anything, I consider myself successful. I truly believe my environment and the world around me are handing me plenty of incredible opportunities to thrive.

And look, bird flu isn't some taboo subject, nor should it be. The more people actually understand what we're dealing with, the better our chances are as a species to protect ourselves and get it under control.

Angela Kelly said:First off, I’m not panicking, nor am I citing any unreliable sources.
The global spread of bird flu via migratory birds is an unprecedented phenomenon in my lifetime, and it's something I find genuinely interesting to study.
I'm just writing because I feel like it and deciding how I feel.
Besides, I don't start dozens of threads just to convince myself or anyone else that diseases or external factors are the reason for any perceived failures in my life.
On the contrary, I consider myself successful. I believe the world and the environment around me offer plenty of incredible opportunities for prosperity. As for bird flu, it isn't a taboo subject, nor should it be. The more people understand it, the better our chances as a species to protect ourselves and contain it.

What actually defines success in life?
Is it money, or just your own perception of being successful?

Where exactly did I blame illness for my own "failure" in life?
You haven't even gotten there yet... I've raised my kids and achieved quite a lot. Aside from dealing with health issues, I've done well and earned respect wherever I've worked. Even at 60, I was heading back to universities. My sons are 42 and 32, and my grandkids are 18, 13, 12, and 4. I can look back and say I've done my part—raised happy children and provided everything possible for my family. That's a lot, and frankly, you're still waiting to achieve even half of that.

Best of luck.
🙂 😉 😎

Sorry, Bill... I was just exhausted and feeling totally unmotivated... I really didn't mean to offend you.