Try not to worry too much. The H5N1 variant of the bird flu has been around for years (and there have even been outbreaks of it in the US in years past) The big problem in Asia, tho, is people have much closer contact with their birds than the average person in the US does, thus giving the virus a much greater chance to leap from bird to person.

Ian is right about the press, tho- the H5N1 outbreak in southeast Asia has been going on for several years now. The press seems to cover it only sporadically- more lately of late cause the virus has finally migrated to Europe. And we all know how the press likes to hype things up! And while a pandemic may eventually happen, unfortuantly there’s nothing we can really do to prevent it- that’s what I tell myself whenever I get a little itchy about the situation myself. However (and someone please correct me if I’m wrong) in the last great flu pandemic it was healthy people in their 20-30’s who had the greatest mortality rate- viruses are allowed to be wierd like that I guess.

Haha- let’s put it this way- I’m still going to work where I have constant contact with lots chickens! I’m more concerned about bringing E. coli or Salmonella home with me on my boots!

Martha