Bird Flu

[MartyG]

I wouldn't lose any sleep even then. It won't be an issue unless it mutates to a form where human-to-human contact spreads it, and it's not known if that'll even happen. Atm you catch it by handling infected birds or eating raw bird meat/blood.

Besides a good epidemic might cure some of the world's population problems

[Ajay1986]

God damn Spatial you really no how to cheer us up lol, i know what everything you said is true but it really aint what i wanted to hear. Thinking about this is quite worrying to be honest.

[Spatial]

Yeah, sorry. I'll stop all the doom and gloom now

[weresheep]

Plus there's also the economic cost of having to slaughter hundreds and thousands of birds to prevent the disease speading (if not to prevent it from mutating, to stop the poor animals catching it and dying a horrible mucus filled death).

Ugh, that reminds me of the foot and mouth outbreak. Is it just me or does a species that can do such a thing (kill thousands of healthy animals for economic benefit) deserve whatever it gets?

Humans are a ****ed up species

-weresheep

[Dogg Thang]

Bird flu = millennium bug.

People just love a panic every now and again. I think it's a nice distraction from day to day life. I wonder how much the pharmacutical companies are making from countries 'stockpiling' antibiotics or vaccines? I'd say a hell of a lot. Some people stand to make a huge fortune from this bird flu panic.

[Concept]

We're overdue an other influenza pandemic, so in this case, it probably isn't another millennium bug. All the avian flu has to do is come into contact with someone suffering from regular human flu, and the chances are that it'll probably mutate forms.

Now, what are the risks of someone eventually coming into contact with birds carrying avian flu who is suffering from a cold or a nasty bout of ordinary flu? Ridiculously high if you consider the entire world and that flocks of birds will migrate.

As Spatial said... imagine a virus that can more or less kill you outright being spread around like a common cold. We're most likely going to be screwed.

[eastyy]

Remember seeing this on channel 4 news last night.Countrys were stock piling with a anti flu drug...Only one company in the world makes that drug though.And whats worse no one knows if it would even work against a human form of the bird flu

[Concept]

Drugs probably won't be much use if the virus ends up continually mutating if it does transfer into a human-to-human strain. It'll be a dog chasing its own tail as medicine plays catch up.

I also don't understand the assertion that this is all a big pharmacutical conspiracy. It benefits no one for there to be severe economic depression worldwide if people are afraid of large crowds, can't socially function or spend money. How will large scales of the population be able to afford any such drugs in such conditions? On top of that, the drugs being stockpiled now aren't said to effectively combat the disease, and the only people who stand any chance of being immunised are those deemed politically and socially important figures.

There are various other factors... I wouldn't go as far as to say socially things will fall apart, but I can see a huge downturn in economic growth if the strain does mutate from human-to-human form. That on top of the human cost, will probably make it the biggest disaster any of us may see in our lives.

That's the worst case scenario.

[Dogg Thang]

And yet they are stockpiling, Concept, regardless of how effective they will be. One company is currently making a fortune in this panic. Companies with shareholders look for short term gain. The knock-on effect on the economy won't matter a damn to them until they have to deal with it - right now, they are cashing in.

Conspiracy? Maybe not. Opportunism? Absolutely.

Hyping this up as much as they can serves their purpose - making money. And at the moment, all I'm seeing is media hype.

[Concept]

Well... we'll see.

All I'm saying is that this isn't made-up threat. It's very real and we'll be incredibly lucky if nothing comes of it.

As well as the human disaster... this could also potentially give the doomsday and religious zealots yet more ammunition. That's one of my lower worries.

Certain fundamentalists are going to latch on to the outcome and profit from this in their own sick way if things really do hit the fan.

[Dogg Thang]

Oh I'm not saying it's a made-up threat either. I just don't think it currently warrants the attention it is getting and I'm very suspicious by who stands to gain from it.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Bird Flu/'Fuel Crisis'

pathetic

[S.P.E.C.T.R.E]

I agree with all you guys but I'll tell you what annoys me the most.. The Government!.. Why if there is a geniuine flu threat of this killer magnitude are we not acting quickly to put a contingency plan together to combat it.. Why?.. Because in my opinion, the Government think the potential funding for that would be better spent on let's see.. Securing a safe supply of oil in Iraq (That country we had no right to invade). I think we need to have a government that actually gives a **** about OUR interests here in the U.K., not America's.. If there is a big risk to the population of Britain we should be ready as best as we can be.. Hate the fact we are all just seen as statistics.. At the end of the day I think we all pay enough taxes so why cant we be safe?..

[Dirty Sanchez]

How can we prepare for a bug which has no cure?

How can paying taxes make any difference?

Why is it the Governments fault?

[baad bwoy]

I think it is important to remember at times like this that we are all going to die at some point, and there is nothing anyone can do to change this fact, if it isn't the bird flu it will be a road accident, if it isn't a road accident it will be cancer or heart disease.
Who wants to live forever anyway?