The good news is that bird flu mostly infects birds. The humans who have been infected have been working with birds. According to the CDC website, there has been only one documented case of person to person transmission. Public health measures would be undertaken to minimize transmission and distribute treatment in the event that the virus is able to mutate to spread from person to person. At this time, that is not happening. For more information about the bird flu, spread and treatment, please check the Centers For Disease Control link:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm
Regarding vaccine, Sanofi Pastuer has developed a vaccine that is being stockpiled by the government and is not for commercial sale or general public. For more information, the following CDC link is available:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/qa.htm
It is a concern and know that it is being watched carefully by many governments and agencies. Health care providers are given regular alerts about flu disease in general from public health agencies and can answer specific questions about flu disease in your community.
Flu season in the US will be underway in early winter. Now is a good time to find out when your health care provider will be giving flu shots and to see if you should get one.
Prevention is the most important way to stop the spread of flu. Some of the things to do include:
Get vaccinated
Stay home, keep kids home when sick
Cover coughs and sneezes
Wash hands
Don't share food/drinks
Heres' to a healthy fall and winter season.
Bird flu
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