How dangerous to infect with asian bird flu?

Next year after my Civil Service, in June or July 2005,I would like to go to Thailand, Laos and/or Cambodia for about two months..Now I´ve read many things about the bird flu, whos out there this times.

Is there any chance to protect me for that? like immunization, eat none of various meat? (especially in this countrys above, of course) or just be careful?

I read many stuff about vaccinate. When you visit this countrys, you have to vaccinate for Hepatitis A/B, Cholera, Tetanus etc.

Im vaccinated against Hepatitis B, that one was for free, because I am working in a hospital/surgery..

Is Hepatitis A vacciantion for free too? or..ho much you have to pay or this one?

Well, at last, in the Traveler Books like Lonely Planet or others you read much about maladies, bu one thing to distinguish is: When you are a little bit careful, you save money and life, lol

What your estimation/advocacies about this? appreciate any response!

greetings!

Well, thanks kinglizard for the movement

I just wanted to say, that I eat a lot of chicken in Thailand. I don't have a infection
Just in case, if someone would like to travel to South-East Asia the next time... Don't worry so much, because you will miss some important experiences. And you know...Life is short

Dacruz,

im going to thailand on december 26th of this year for 12 days with some of my fellow students from college and some professors.
as far as the bird flu stuff i actually just spoke to the winnebago county department of health (i live in rockford illinois) to ask them above the specific vaccinations i would need and according to them there is no real threat of the bird flu unless you are going into areas in cambodia or the southern parts of laos. but i didnt ask them if they had any specific shots since i am staying in thailand.

Directly from the health department here is a copy of what they told me to get:

Immunization recommendations for Thailand are as follows:

Hep A for all travelers- if you had one in highschool depending on how old you are, you should be good on this. but check your medical records just in case because if you havent had one in a while you have to get it.

Hep B depending on your risk – transmitted by contaminated blood and body fluid (only needed if you plan on getting a tatoo, or hooking up with someone.

Typhoid-recommended for all travelers

Tetanus/diphtheria- only if you havent had one in the last 10 years. this is a combination shot.

Malaria protection depending on your destination in Thailand. in the more central areas of thailand like bangkok and chaingmai you can just get this stuff called "cutters advanced" that has deet in it and also this new chemical that protects against it more efficiently. because in the central part malaria is less prevelant.

Influenza -only if you havent had one in the past year.

send me a u2u if you have anymore questions.

Hope this helps!
DigitalGrl

Maybe they should watch the news a little more closely.

I consider their threat assessment a joke, and potentially dangerous to travelers going to SEA. If you do go, visit the thread that identies common natural anti-virals that you can take with you.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Be careful!

H5N1 is no joke, and people should take it much more seriously, although I suspose they will when their neighbors start dropping like flies, of course by then...too late.

[edit on 20-9-2005 by gman55]

Gman,

i was just repeating what i was told by the health department when i called asking them what i needed for immunizations for when i go to thailand in dec. all i was doing was relaying the information. i ment no harm and i personally havent heard anything on the news TV) about the bird flu really so i dont know that much about it.


Kind Regards,
DigitalGrl

I did not mean to sound harsh. I just want to impress on you (and anybody else) that H5N1 is no joke.

Just be careful, thats all. Life is so very special, especially at 19...(a "sigh" for those olden days)

Anyway, I did not mean to cause you distress. I apoligise for that.

hey,
you didnt cause me any distress. i just wanted to let ya know that i wasnt speaking from a point of view that suggested i had a very high understanding of the situation and that i was just going by what i heard.
you would think the health department would have been honest with me if it was a real threat. that doesnt make me feel very good
how can you catch the bird flu?

Kind Regards,
DigitalGrl

Thanks, but I already did the two and a half month trip
But next year again, for a long, long time (I hope so...)

regards

dc

Do not trust any government agency to protect you during something this big (when it happens). The WHO, CDC and others have been slobbering over each news release of Bird Flu infections, hoping that it has not gone H2H yet. For instance, the WHO is at stage 3, while most informed people know it is at stage 4 or 5. Stage 6 is a full blown pandemic.

Here is the stages..

Under the alert system: level one is no outbreak, level two poultry outbreaks, level 3 poultry and human cases, level four small clusters of human transmission, level five large, localised clusters of human transmission and level six a pandemic with large scale human transmissions in several countries.

Right now you can be infected by close contact with anything infected. Good hygene is a must when this thing breaks open. Also purchase anti-virals.

Read these threads....

www.cdc.gov...

discuss.agonist.org...

Great to see your interest. Maybe it will save your life if H5N1 goes H2H

(edit for addition)

[edit on 22-9-2005 by gman55]