What can I do to prepare for the bird flu?
547483
Go and buy boxes of medical grade face masks.  This is about the only good idea I know of.  I will if it gets too serious, but right now the media is hyping it a little too much.
526869
The best thing for the flu is time...and maybe some Tylenol.  Then try hot tea with honey, and top that off with some good chicken noodle soup.
306979
If you keep your parakeet isolated from other birds, it should have a very minimal chance of contracting the disease. The bird flu is spread by contact. It is possible that it might contract it from contact with you or your family. Wash your hands before coming in contact with the cage or the bird. There is also the possibility of having it on your clothes or shoes, but there is not a lot you can do about that. It will also help to keep the cage clean. Clean it daily. Also do not let the bird out of the cage. It might pick up the virus from around the house.
150583
In people, bird flu usually begins much like conventional influenza, with fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches, but bird flu can lead to life-threatening complications.
596086
All of the published medical journals I've read, report that after previous years, a vaccine, I believe, has been found to help control the illness. It's unfortunate about the individuals who became ill while working with domestic poultry, however research, particularly in Hong Kong, and other research facilities have made great headway. I hope that you are not someone who is at risk for illness. If you feel you're at risk, then go to your nearest public health facility in your country for help, and/or treatment. Best wishes!
20419
How about something involving the bird flu, like, if you smoke marlboros while outside kfc, you get the bird flu, get the jest of it.
151139
It is called the foot and mouth diseae which attackes cattle like pigs, cows, goats and so on. Looks like livestocks, including chickens that spread the bird flu are not to be taken for the time being. If you worry, take fish only or opt to be a vegeterian instead.Meantime, protection yourself by taking lots fruits becos they contain Vit.C and eating raw garlic or pills form of it.
56217
Rest and plenty of fluids.  There is no cure for the common cold, yet, despite the many claims...\n\nChicken soup not so hot?\nIf people believed all the old wives' tales about catching and preventing colds and flu, they would stock their cupboards with chicken soup all winter and never step out into the cold. But the myths often have no place in scientific reality, so if you wonder whether you should starve a cold and feed a fever (or if you've got it the wrong way around), try this quiz (originally written by the American Lung Association).\n\nMyth: Spending time outside in cold weather can cause a cold or flu.\n\nFact: Exposure to cold weather does not bring on a cold or flu. It can, however, cause pneumonia, which can come about when someone already has the flu. This is the most serious complication of the flu and is more likely to occur in the elderly and people whose immune systems have been weakened by other medical conditions.\n\nMyth: It is possible to catch the flu from a flu shot.\n\nFact: The flu vaccine is made from an inactive virus, so it is impossible to get the flu from it. Some people may be sore where the vaccine is injected and may feel unwell for a couple of days with fever and muscle aches. Anyone who is acutely ill with fever or is allergic to egg or another component of the vaccine should not get the flu shot.\n\nMyth: An upset stomach is a symptom of the flu.\n\nFact: Stomach distress is rarely a symptom of the flu. Other viruses, bacteria and food poisoning are more common causes of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.\n\nMyth: Large doses of vitamin C can prevent colds and cure them quickly.\n\nFact: This is not proven, although consuming the daily requirement of vitamin C is good for overall health.\n\nMyth: Herbal treatments such as echinacea and zinc will cure a cold quickly.\n\nFact: To date, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that either can cure or prevent a cold. The best way to avoid a cold is to avoid close contact with others who have it, wash hands frequently and avoid eye and nose rubbing.\n\nMyth: A bowl of chicken soup and hot toddies can help cure a cold.\n\nFact: Chicken soup has no power to cure a cold. However, hot liquids can soothe a scratchy throat or a cough. Hot toddies should also be avoided during a cold. Alcoholic beverages can increase the body's chance of dehydration, and therefore make symptoms worse.\n\nMyth: It is best to starve a cold and feed a fever.\n\nFact: Neither of these is a good remedy. When fighting a cold or fever, the body needs
636068
The bird flu is nothing to panic about right now if you are a smart consumer. The bird flu is still in asia and has not been rapidly spreading in the USA. You will not catch the bird flu is you properly handle and cook all poultry. The only way you can get it is if you go over to asia and handle an infected bird. Other wise you are pretty safe safe! Scientists are working on a vaccine right now so hopfully the bird flu epedimic panic will soon fade away!
628774
They advise getting a pneumonia shot as many of the victims died from the pneumonia. Also get this\nLaboratory tests show Sambucol® neutralises Common and Avian Flu Virus H5N1 \nAdded: (Thu Jan 19 2006) \n\nNew research, carried out by Retroscreen Virology has indicated that \nSambucol®, a patented formula, may fight the virulent Avian Flu virus. Results have been presented yesterday, Wednesday, in a press conference held in the Royal Society of Medicine, London. Speakers included Prof. Hannoun, Emeritus Professor at the Pasteur Institute and Dr. Mumcuoglu, developer of Sambucol®. \n\nLaboratory trials held in a leading research institute, Retroscreen Virology \nLtd, associated with the University of London found Sambucol® to be at least \n99% effective against the Avian Flu virus H5N1. Sambucol® was effective at \nsignificantly neutralising the infectivity of the virus in cell cultures. These \nresults will also be presented during the International Conference on Bird Flu: \n“The First Pandemic of the 21st Century. A Central Role for Antivirals”, to be \nheld at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital on January 19th-20th 2006. \n\nDr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, is looking into further investigations into the \nactivity of Sambucol® against Avian Flu on a wider scale. \n\nIn an earlier study (1995) Sambucol® was found to be effective against a wide range of influenza strains. Laboratory studies conducted at the Hebrew \nUniversity – Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem demonstrated the activity \nof Sambucol® against human, swine, and avian influenza strains. \nSambucol®'s efficacy was also demonstrated in two double blind, placebo \ncontrolled clinical studies. Sambucol® was shown to cut the duration and \nseverity of the common flu by up to half. \n\nENDS \n\nNotes to editors; \nSambucol® is based on an active substance isolated from the black elderberry. \nManufactured by Razei Bar Industries Israel, Sambucol® is available in 17 \ncountries and in the UK is sold in Tesco, leading chemists, independent health \nfood stores and wholesalers from £8.49. \n\nFor photography please visit the following site and enter the log in details: \nFTP address: ftp://pixelit.co.il \nuser name: ftp_razeibar \npassword: 63+84675 \n\n\nFor further press information please contact: Francesca Gaffey/Cheryl Davies, \nCommunique Public Relations, Waterside, No2 Canal Street, Manchester, M1 \n3HE. Tel: 0161 242 5120/0161 242 5108 Fax: 0161 228 7391 E-mail: \nfrancesca.gaffey@communiquepr.co.uk cheryl.davies@communiquepr.co.uk \n\nFor research information please visit: Retroscreen Virology Ltd. at: \nhttp://www.retroscreen.com/ \n\nFor product information please visit: \nRazei Bar Industries (1996) Ltd. At: www.sambucol.com
227647
Currently to catch bird flu you need to inhale or ingest some bird poo. A microscopic particle of poo containing the virus is all it needs. The reason for the massive cull is to try and prevent more birds from becoming infected, becasue the more birds it is in, the greater the chance of a mammal such as ourselves or pigs of being infected. To mutate into a deadly pandemic, an H5N1 virus has to infect a cell at the same time as a mammalian flu virus has infected the cell. \n\nSo by destroying the birds in massive culling programs, governments are limiting the possibility of this happening.\n\nIt is safe to eat infected meat as long as it is cooked properly (over 70 degrees for 20min)
137917
Wash hands frequently, get enough rest, eat all poultry fully cooked.
73997
Planning better to be prepared.
639471
Look!  First thing is first the only people who have gotten the bird flu live with birds lots of birds I would not worry about it. It wastes time and energy and why dwell on it when it is not here yet?
96334
Not a lot other than the obvious methods, since influenza is highly contagious.\n1) Don't touch your eyeballs (easy to infect yourself that way)\n2) Wash hands\n3) Stay away from children\n4) Reduce your daily contact with people\n5) Don't eat in restaurants (see above)\n6) Get a flu shot (all flu sucks, and regular flu can kill you too, not just bird flu)
18273
Wash your hands before you eat anything, or better yet use an antibacterial that you can keep in your purse, or if you're a guy in your pocket, don't put your fingers in your mouth (i.e., bite your nails). One good piece of advice in preventing colds or the flu is to not borrow pens...always make sure you have one of your own...that way you know that you're not holding something that someone who just coughed or sneezed into their hand was just touching.\n\nAs always, make sure you take in lots of vitamin C daily.  Lots of orange juice, and go with a multivatimin.  FYI, all of these things are good to practice anyway but are especially good practices to remember around flu season.
978942
I absolutely love your question(s).  Thank you for a good laugh.  \nI would still go with the chicken soup and think of it as revenge against the chickens for giving you the avian flu.  \n\nOh and up above........ avian flu has been found in several places in the US.  A little boy died of it in Portland Oregon a couple of months ago.