Bird Flu - Information for Travelers

If an Avian Bird Flu pandemic strikes theres no doubt it willhave a devastating effect on the travel industry. This documenttouches briefly on Bird Flu and provides advice for Travelerswho are going to be ultimately more susceptible if a pandemicstrikes. What is Bird Flu?Bird Flu is an influenza strain of about twenty that infectsbirds. While there is a mass of media hysteria regarding recentoutbreaks, Bird Flu has been in known existence for over 40years. During this time, the disease has become far moreinfectious and affects almost every bird species in manycountries world wide. One particular strain of this disease thatis particularly worrying is the deadly "H5N1" strain - which hascaused over sixty human deaths to date. While these deaths havebeen caused from direct contact with infected birds, scientistsare worried that the virus could mutate and become highlycontagious between humans.Should I defer travel to countries that have confirmed cases ofBird Flu?No. At this stage Bird Flu is a relatively isolated disease.Furthermore you can only become infected through the secretionsof infected birds. You have got a far greater chance of gettingmugged or falling ill with the common cold - so put everythinginto perspective. Upon saying this, stay wary. Be sure you knowabout any possible outbreaks that could occur. If hear of asuspected outbreak, you then however may wish to reconsider.Governments also provide up to the minute travel warnings forcountries that have disease outbreaks. See: http://www.cdc.govThe potential dangers of flying.If an outbreak were to occur, be very wary about flying.Aircraft provide perfect environments for spreading disease.Passengers are often ballooned into Aircraft like cattle.Because they are within close quarters for long periods and withthe air being re-circulated it drastically increases the changesof infection. Furthermore, what happens if an infected passengerfrom a previous flight was sitting in the seat you are about thesit in?. The news is not all bad. Many newer commercial aircrafthave filters that remove all germs from the air. Be sure tocheck with your Airline.When the SARS virus was first discovered in China, it hadalready reached five other countries within just 24 hours.Todays high speed air travel does make for a rather scaryscenario. The 1918 pandemic spread world wide - even thoughtravel times were significant between countries. With travelfrom one side of the globe to another in 24 hours - imagine howquickly a bird flu virus could spread.How can I best prepare before traveling?- Put together a first aid kit. If possible, include a sanitizerand thermometer. A dose of flu tablets such as Tamiflu and arespirator would be valuable additions.- Vaccinate. Be sure that you have had all the recommended jabsbefore traveling. It is believed that the common Flu jab mayprovide some degree of resistance, but is not really known untilscientists can identify the mutated form of the virus.- Watch and study the news. Make sure you are up-to-date beforeyou leave. Be sure to take a small radio along with you so thatyou can keep up-to-date while traveling.- Take out travel health insurance.What happens if I get caught up in an outbreak?- If its not possible to leave the area, you should avoid closecontact with any other people that are showing potentialsymptoms. You should cover your mouth and nose with an approvedrespirator. Don't cover your mouth and nose with your hands -infact avoid such contact. Ensure you wash your hands (and thatothers do also) regularly.What happens if I get infected?If you do start to show symptoms (fever, coughing, sore throat)be sure to contact your consular officer immediately. They willthen be able to advise you on where to seek medial attention.There are anti-viral tablets (such as Tamiflu) which may offersome relief. Visit this URL for more info:http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/antiviral/index.htmAlso, be sure to isolate yourself from other people. You don'twant them to get infected.If you are traveling to countries that have confirmed cases ofBird Flu be sure to monitor your health for up to ten days afteryour return. If symptoms do arise, be sure to see your healthprofessional immediately.Please see the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionWebsite for official Information http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/TravelJ takes no responsibility for the information containedwithin this article and cannot be held liable for and d irect orindirect damages that could occur as a result.Article is Copyright 2005 - TravelJ http://www.travelj.com -Travelers Resource and Information Network