November 18 Flu Update
Oregon's state vet has been to Egypt to study fighting pandemic flu.In UK, they are pushing the government to consider mass immunization.
Also in UK, companies are not prepared for the bird flu.
ProMed on story from yesterday that said that immunizations in UK are not being offered to the poultry workers.
Nepal recognizes it is on the front line for bird flu.
posted by Orange @ 11:03 PM
1 Comments:
Orange;
Your East Oregonian article was quite interesting, and I found the biography of veterinarian Andrew Clark quite fascinating. One thing about the article really stands out: the similarities of how poultry lives in close proximity with humans in the three most H5N1 infested countries of the world – Indonesia, Vietnam and Egypt. One could point to several causal factors why this is allowed to persist, however, until the governments of these countries enforce mandatory change, I see no relief in sight.
I was quite astonished and a little intrigued when I read the article from the UK which recommended mass immunization for the entire population, and an increase of antiviral reserves to support 75% of the people. I wonder what prompted the DOH “Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) to suddenly go public with this recommendation ? While I do not find the recommendation realistic at this time, for a number of fundamental reasons (mainly political and safety), it makes absolute sense. Even though some selective countries, Switzerland, Australia, Japan and few others have ramped up to inoculate their entire populations, I don’t see it happening in the remaining western countries – that is, unless a pandemic were to emerge, and then it would be too late. The US simply does not have the political or national will, to even consider this level of preparedness, especially with the current Congress and administration in the White House. They can’t even get a lousy federal budget approved or pass measures to withdraw our troops from that rat hole called Iraq.
I am absolutely flabbergasted that Great Britain hasn’t inoculated their poultry workers for seasonal flu. Notice this is the same issue that occurred during their PRIOR H5N1 outbreak earlier this year with the cullers, and several of them fell ill.
Amazing.
One thing common with all governments I suspect we're seeing, is that they sure talk a lot, but actually aren’t very “pandemic proactive” when it comes down to it.
Wulfgang
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