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Sunday, 03 June 2007 |
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Bird flu prevention in humans requires individuals to keep their distance from infected birds, wild or domestic. Contact with diseased birds or contact with objects contaminated by infected birds by secretions or excretions can put a person at risk for bird flu. If a person knows that a particular bird or group of birds is infected with the bird flu virus, the best prevention would be to stay away. Unfortunately there may be instances where a bird or birds are infected yet the virus is undetected.
To insure bird flu prevention people should take measures when handling raw poultry and cooking eggs, for instance making sure to thoroughly wash their hands after handling them. It is also recommended to make certain cutting boards, work stations, utensils, etc. are carefully cleaned with hot water and soap after preparing poultry to eliminate the risk of contaminating other foods. It is imperative in bird flu prevention to insure both poultry and eggs are well cooked. Properly cooked eggs should have firm yolks and whites. Poultry should be cooked at temperatures of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit and using a thermometer is a great way to insure it is being properly cooked. The government plays a huge role in bird flu prevention. Making sure contaminated birds are not brought into the country is the responsibility of the government. For this reason it is up to them to be knowledgeable about the location of outbreaks of bird flu. Naturally by banning the importation of birds, the risk for contracting bird flu is eliminated. In bird flu prevention, it is essential that people refrain from traveling to areas in the world which are known for having problems with and outbreaks of the bird flu virus. Visiting a country recognized for the spread of the bird flu would definitely not be a wise idea. |
