Someone was bound to bring this up...

Okay, one thing I can't figure out: I thought you couldn't pick up the flu from eating poultry, but everyone is saying to avoid it. Is that just precaution, or have people actually contracted the disease through consuming chicken or chicken products?

I like the way that everyone is trying to reassure each other that everything will be fine and making a joke out of the situation. Its exactly what everyone wants to hear so that they can relax and not worry about it.

Something closer to the truth (from doing extensive investigation myself and, yes, I am planning on visiting SEA soon) is that Avian Flu has the potential to become a very serious problem if it mutates and becomes contagious between humans.

The World Health Organisation are very concerned (they talk about when, not if), as are all the countries affected right now, who are desperately trying to clean up their poultry farming operations (killing millions of birds in the process).

By the way Soi Dog, we may have better drugs than in 1918 but we also have air travel, which means that it could spread across the globe within days. Also, once they have isolated the strain it is estimated it will take up to 6 months before a vaccine can be produced. Avian flu is a global problem not just one for SEA.

However, it has not happened yet, it may never happen and there's nothing we can really do about it if it does. So we can all carry on with our plans, but I suggest that you keep a close eye on the situation before, and especially during, your stay in the region. Buy some tamilflu and it may sound silly but surgical masks don't cost anything and could save your life.

Certainly do not delude yourself that this is not a problem and stick your head in the sand. As a responsible traveller you should be aware of as many of the issues - culturally, environmentally and politically - of the countries that you are going to visit as you can.

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/<BR>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4415231.stm

The caution about eating poultry only applies to raw products, i.e. uncooked eggs used in ice cream, "runny" scrambled eggs, etc. WHO says that cooking kills the virus so throughly cooked poultry is safe to eat.

It hasn't yet mutated into a human to human strain that could cause the pandemic they are talking about. Until the time it does, if it ever does, there is nothing to worry about. Why do you want to worry about something that hasn't happened, might not ever happen, and if it does happen you may not be able to do anything about it anyway?

RBowley - there is no denying the spread would be more quicker but western countries like the UK have taken good precautions in the planning for an epidemic

Glad to see you are doing your research on vaccine times for a Flu vax ;-)))))))

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However, it has not happened yet, it may never happen and there's nothing we can really do about it if it does. So we can all carry on with our plans, but I suggest that you keep a close eye on the situation before, and especially during, your stay in the region. Buy some tamilflu and it may sound silly but surgical masks don't cost anything and could save your life.

Certainly do not delude yourself that this is not a problem and stick your head in the sand. As a responsible traveller you should be aware of as many of the issues - culturally, environmentally and politically - of the countries that you are going to visit as you can. <hr></blockquote>
Honestly, I don't think anyone here is sticking their head in the sand. No need for you to panic, unless you are prone to do so.

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<hr>This is just media hype to make sure you're scared. If it's not those pesky arabs that get you it's gonna be the Asian bird flu. Sounds like reason enough to start bombing Thailand.<hr></blockquote>

Comments like this are not constructive or helpful and they do concern me. That is why I felt compelled to say what I did. I do not reccommend panic either, I'm just trying to highlight our responsibility to be well informed.

over60

We were in Vietnam for 3 weeks in Feb & ate everything we were served, even celebrated "year of the rooster" at Tet in Hue. The only way you are likely to contract Avian Flu is by visiting chicken farms, looking after patients with AV, or eating RAW chicken products. The Vietnamese Govt is very keen to encourage tourism & very anxious that no tourists (or Nationals) catch AV. Go for it South East Asia is THE BEST tourist destination. I think our Western govts want us to holiday at home, so they put out warnings about all the possible hazards out there. The worst hazard is not to see the world & get your own impressions, the worst danger is staying at home with your head buried in the sand. Go for it! live on the edge! The very worst part of any trip is the airport security hassles, having got through that, stay as long as you can and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!

Signed...
Two 'geriatric' travellers from Australia

#22 are you sure it can br spread through eggs as well? i have been eating "jok" with one raw egg every night this week, since i am sick with the flu!

Girlirig

Various sites advise on only eating well cooked eggs and not raw or even runny ones.

However

The people who have caught it up to now seem to have got it from the dried chicken faeces, particles of which become airborne and are breathed in