I've written about Avian Flu before. But I intend to post something about it every day until a vaccine has been developed or adequate plans for dealing with an outbreak among humans have been promulgated.
Avian Flu was found in Africa for the first time this past week, appearing in Nigeria. Now, other countries, including Mauritania, are taking the prudent step of banning the importation of Nigerian poultry.
Meanwhile a major official in the Bulgarian government says that an outbreak of Avian Flu among humans in his country is unlikely. The phrase for that kind of thinking is state of denial. That this stance is unwise is underscored by the discovery of birds felled by the disease in his country, as well as in Italy and Greece.
Meanwhile, the United Nations official charged with coordinating that agency's response to the disease has said that he wakes up each morning certain of receiving news that the flu has mutated and is directly communicable between humans. The flu is only two mutations away from that horrible eventuality.
We must be ready in this country. The state of Indiana, which last fall unveiled a plan that also required all 92 counties to develop responses, is now preparing for a statewide summit to discuss and refine its plans. Such planning needs to happen at every level of government across the country.
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