View Full Version : H2N5 Avian Flu
Do airline / airport companys have plans for such an event or have views on just what the business effect might be. I appreciate that compnay info is confidential but am interested to know if such issues are being addressed. For example i am told that Virgin have a stock of 'tamyflu' for their airline employees.
You've just opened a big black hole with many cans of worms.
Now, are you talking about Avian Flu - H5N1 - or do you refer to a Human Flu Pandemic for which there is no current vaccine?
I wonder how many aircrew will be prepared to fly to a destination where flu is at pandemic levels and causing fatalities amidst persons of their age group.
There was a rumour that one island in the Southern Hemisphere would literally close its borders.
Wonder what draconian actions governments around the world will take?
Tamiflu needs to be taken continuously - will stocks last? After effects on those that take it? Hope drowsiness is not one of them!
H5N1 indeed and Swiss has confirmed that all borders would be closed in such an event.
Until now, the spread of the virus from one person to another has been very rare and it is thought that it cannot spread beyond one person. However some scientists are concerned that in the future the H5N1 virus could easily spread from one person to another due to the fact that all types of influenza viruses are known for the increased ability to mutate. If this happens, the consequences will be horrifying as the H5N1 virus is foreign to humans and our bodies cannot begin to offer us a reliable immune protection against it.
Bird Flu (http://www.drugdelivery.ca/bird-flu.aspx)
doubleu-anker
8th Feb 2009, 14:27
I remember in 2003 on hearing about a case of bird flu in an Asian country. This sent alarm bells ringing for me, as it I knew it could not be contained.
Shortly afterwards I contacted the mother of an employee of a high commission in the country in question, that I knew, to find out what was going on and if any efforts to contain etc., A day or so later I received a very terse reply, "what bird flu?". This alarmed me even more. as it came from a government official!
Without trying to be a profit of doom, suffice to say we are sitting on a time bomb, that will effect us all, sooner or later and it could be like hell on earth. How many were lost in the last outbreak in 1918? 18 million?
I think by the time bird flu really takes hold, closing borders will be futile and too late.