RE: Bird Flu
Originally from: frances fish
Biosecurity in free range poultry, Joyce ? Its s flight of fancy ! Frances
Originally from: Farmtalking
Hi Coleen! –
If any one is that concerned for their own health, Tamiflu can be bought on line from various sources – just type the name into Google to come up with a selection!
Or take a look here – http://www.tamiflu.com/
and maybe here – http://vettechs.blogspot.com/2005/04/oseltamivir-is-there-new-treatment-for.html
I hope this is helpful?
Best wishes – Jane
Originally from: coleen
I listened to Donaldson saying that the 'we will not be faced with an outbreak here in this Country this Winter' but should expect it to strike us next year (we cannot escape)!
How does he know that (on either count). Are they saying this because we have NO way of controlling the virus – and does not want to cause panic (if it should hit us) or are they saying it – because it is not as deadly or as threatening as they want us to believe. Talk about sending confusing signals!!
Did anyone else hear DEFRA commenting last week to the effect of ' should bird flu strike this Country, because of fmd, we have a well rehearsed contingency plan'! I guess we can all sleep safer in our beds knowing that...and what plan would that be I wonder? Kill anything that moves/flies!
Why is the drug (Tamiflu) when available, the same drug used to treat Parvo virus in dogs...are bird flu and parvo one of the same (or similar). Does that mean all stocks of this drug will vanish from Vets.
Coleen
Originally from: coleen
Hi Jane
Have you seen the price? Ten tablets with post over £100. They say all UK supplies exhausted so shipping in from Europe.
Coleen
Originally from: Bill
Are they wishing an epidemic on us? Predictions of 50,000 deaths will result in mass panic if the virus ever does arrive here in a form transmissible by humans.
Millions of people on the move, scattering to every corner of the country, of the planet even, the prophesy of epidemic will be self-fulfilling.
The lunatics surely are in charge of the nut-house.
All the best,
Bill.
Originally from: frances fish
Interesting stuff about elderberry, Joyce. I wonder if I should make some sort of syrup from the berries in the garden before the birds have them all ? I expect they freeze as well. I wonder just why the government is hyping up this bird flu thing ? So far only people with very close contact with birds have caught it and it does not yet appear to pass between humans. It could always mutate, of course, and do just that. Virus infections are always bad news and, if your number is up ? Great pity elderberries taste so bad but our sheep love the leaves. In fact if one is a bit off colour, I tend to offer these as sometimes they will nibble these when they don't fancy anything else ! They are also around most of the year if you look.Bill is so right about panic. If the authorities wished to engender it, they are doing a great job, don't you think ? And Coleen, will it be handled "when, not if" it gets here with that marvellous enthusiasm for killing exhibited so well in 2001 ?There is no trust in this government from the top down all are perceived and often, proved, to be able liars. Will we be subjected to modelling again ? Or to put it more crudely, how to kill as many as possible in as short a time as possible, the end justifying whatever means is deemed most effective. They are already softening up the public who, no doubt, would be willing to turn a blind eye to all the cruelty involved if they considered themselves at risk ? Thank heavens we don't keep chickens, ducks or geese, my sympathy to those who do. Frances
Originally from: coleen
Hi Joyce and Francis
I know someone who makes elderberry wine if you are interested....
I think it is the stalks that are poisonous Joyce.
In the Countries that people have died from bird flu – they live cheek to cheek with chickens. They sleep with them, drink from the same water etc. Is it any wonder if there is a virus doing the rounds, that some people will go down with it, and some will die.
Heck you can get lung cancer from living from someone who smokes. There are always risks in everything. Of course I would be scared if the virus does mutate...but the truth, at this moment in time would be nice for a change.
One minute they are telling everyone here not to panic...and the next warning people we could be in for a pandemic outbreak.
Lets scare the people that they might 'get it' then, when a mass cull is announced 'bingo' no objections. Of course it cannot stop at chickens, so how many species will they wipe out!
Have you seen the prices of Tamiflu available on the Internet. Someone is making big big profits from this. Well over £100 for ten tablets from some online stores...
Hate to say it, but I agree with you Joyce about a mass cull . There must be some financial reason as to why 'get rid of chickens' perhaps some Country is lining up to (no pun intended) make a 'killing' and restock all the birds that will be slaughtered. knowing how sick the World is, it will probably be China!!
Coleen
Originally from: Joyce
Hi Frances,
Yes elderberries freeze just fine and are a good investment IMO!
2 years ago Jane kindly sent me a huge amount in the post and I still have plenty.
I did eat some raw, on my morning cereal, then read they were poisonous that way.... didn't seem to bother me! but now I slowly simmer a few for hours on the stove and eat them and the juice mixed with my porridge oats, yoghurt and other fruit.
For convenience and travelling I also keep some Solgar capsules handy.
You are all right about softening us up for a massacre again.
I have really bad feelings about this coming year.
Joyce
Originally from: frances fish
Now, isn't that marvellous ? We are all to be vaccinated against bird flu when it reaches this country. I believe that was the way it was worded, not "we are to be offered the chance"? Perhaps that was in the reporting ? Anyway, its irelevant at present, for they do not HAVE a vaccine yet to do it ! So, folks, are we all reassured by this malarky ?(There's another for you, Coleen, malarky ?) Frances
Originally from: Joyce
http://webplus.agri0013926.agriplus.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1128698094/30
post from Danube:
snip:
The government have moved the vaccination programme for humans in the affected areas from volentary to obligatory.
Originally from: coleen
Hi Francis
Isn't it interseting that when there is other news to report Bird Flu slips right down the pecking order. Yesterday it was about the trial (or non trial as it turned out to be of Sadam Insane. In some news bulletins BF was not even mentioned. Yet, the day before it was headlines..
They have changed their tune Francis (they said a few days ago it would be impossible to offer a vaccine (when it arrives) to all the UK. What a difference a day/s make.
Melvyn Bragg has is weekly programme on radio 4 at the moment – and it is ALL about cynism!!
Malarkey is such a nice word Francis (it sounds as if it should be a spiced drink) not the drivel we are being fed at the moment!
Coleen
Originally from: coleen
Also they say that by the time they identify the virus and then start to make the vaccine – the virus could have mutated and altered again, making any vaccine useless....
Coleen
Originally from: Bill
If it does arrive, Joyce, they will need to identify the virus before vaccine production can be started. And exactly who is going to produce 120 million doses, and in how long?
Since Blair's pals at PowderJect sold out to the Americans all major UK vaccine companies are American owned. Naturally we will have to wait at the back of the queue if the virus hits the USA .
Have a nice day,
Bill.
Originally from: Hilary Peters
Originally from: Bill
Vaccines are big, big, business, Coleen. Have a look at _www.powderject.com_ (http://www.powderject.com)
now owned by the mighty Chiron Corporation.
Quite obviously it makes no sense whatsoever trying to vaccinate ones way out of an epidemic. If people are already carrying the virus but not yet showing symptoms the vaccine will mitigate the severity of the disease. The result of that is instead of being sick in bed the infected person will be going to work, possibly travelling on public transport, and infecting all and sundry.
Vaccination is for preventing epidemics, not for controlling them. In fact vaccinating during an epidemic will help to spread the virus.
But the country is run by big business, that's why avian flu is being hyped so much. (Do you remember the 60 million doses of smallpox vaccine Blair ordered from PowderJect? I think the order was quietly cancelled, with generous compensation to PowderJect of course)
All the best,
Bill.
Originally from: frances fish
Hi Coleen, How are you ? Bird Flu seems to have awoken everyone up, perhaps because of the terrible deja vu it gives from 2001 ?Anyway, as I understand it, we have only just ordered a few million doses(not nearly sufficient but then, money is tight, war is expensive)of vaccine. Possibly we were shamed into this by other EU members who are better prepared ? It takes 2 months to manufacture the vaccine, during which they have to play for time, trotting out the "King", David that is, to talk down vaccination as he did in 2001. What will be his reward this time, I wonder ? Research money, perhaps, always a good carrot? Glad I don't keep birds but so sorry for those who do. Prepared for bird flu, lessons learned ? Defra may have changed names from its Maff days, but, like the leopard, it hasn't changed its spots.Wait for the inevitable killing to start ? It IS 2006 isn't it, pinch me someone ? Frances
Originally from: coleen
Hi Francis
We are fine here in this part of Cumbria.
Listened to King this morning. The vaccines we have at the moment for the birds are NO good, so we are waiting for the new type that they are working on and developing in China. That should take another couple of months (more like how long is a piece of string). Sounds more like 'here we go again'! Endemic here for 5 years when it does strike us, he went onto say. Was something similar not said about fmd!
Not far into the date of the 1st case of fmd 5 years ago(will bird flu be found here soon – thus resulting in millions of birds killed). Only this time I will not be 'shocked' at the numbers we can 'kill'. We have been here before – haven't we?
Take Care Everyone.
Coleen
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