The Bird Flu Pandemic

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · May 18, 2006

Ha Ha. Can't help to make fun of the "COOP" ... ya know with it being bird flu and associated with chickens and all. Well OK, maybe not that funny, but made me laugh. Anyway - we aren't even really talking about it here in the midwest.

But seriously - 30 DAYS OF MEDS AND WATER! We'd never have room to store all that. Sounds like red-tape gone wild again.

brsharky · May 18, 2006

I also sat through long, 4 hour, discussion on the bird flu this week. I live in New Mexico and I don't know what the state is requiring. Our facility has been brainstorming on how to be best prepared. Luckily, our facility is rather large and has plenty of storage space, and many items already stock-piled as it is a federal facility. However, if the bird flu arrives then items such as ventilators will be scarce. Utilization of local radio/news stations to alert patients to stay home if they are healthy enough, telephone triage, increased bed capacity and essential personnel were also discussed. It is hard to compare federal vs. private plans though because there are so many differences (red-tape). MREs were one thing that we considered and they can be stored for other disasters as well if the bird flu doesn't come.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · May 18, 2006

I guess we here in my neck of the woods in Oregon aren't as freaked out about it. Yes, we have a plan...at least 3 weeks of rations are suggested, and EMS is up to date on the issues.

However, there are SO many rumors about how it can be caught, what type of birds involved, and hype hype hype! The worse case scenereo is a good way to go about being prepaired, but some common sence and rational thought is also good, especially with a public so quick to panic as we have in the US!

I did two days of solid research, and I feel very calm about this...it is the panic that will make it a living nightmare! I also own birds...lots of birds as pets! I am in NO FEAR...NONE that any of my birds will get this at all, let alone get a mutated form that will attack me or my family!

The fear is having a large poultry population, or wild game bird population get infected and a mutant strain that will get humans. Wild game birds are able to carry the disease and may not have S/Sx...so avoid game foul, and if you have poultry or game foul outdoors, try to keep them from wild varieties or food/water sources that are freqented by wild ones. And as far as the poultry market..they are testing and doing more than any other country to assure safety...so I feel very confident with our own US grown poultry!

You don't have to run in fear of those little finches at your bird feeder, you don't have to hide out from that crow perched on your deck...you don't panic if you see a dead bird (call the authorities though for testing, and stay away just in case of other diseases that DO effect humans), and you don't have to stop eating poultry (unless you eat it raw..LOL!).

Get the facts before a panic sets in...you will be doing a great service to us EMS and healthcare providers by taking the panic out of the picture for the public and teaching them what they need to know factually! That may cut down on a few folks that will panic and go into an ER for a head ache after looking at a bird from 4 feet! LOL!!!!!

mrsalby · May 18, 2006

I participated in a Bird Flu drill at the main hospital we perform our clinicals at. It was interesting.

We were the patients coming into the hospital from different areas at different times. We had a card that had the demographics on it and our symptoms that we gave to triage etc. We also were given these 1.5" fluorescent stars that we were to stick on anyone that got within 2 feet w/o protection. It was interesting and funny to see which HC workers had the most stickers. It was eye opening.

I suppose they are trying to prepare the best way they can. The hospital I work at so far has only done disaster drills for multiple casualties, I.E. plane crash.