H5N1 Bird Flu in the UK

Matblack · 03-02-2007, 13:07

Well the UK now has its second case of bird flu (well 2nd to 1601st).

Up to now the only one case was a dead swan on a beach, the second is a little larger 1600 turkeys at a battery farm in Suffolk run by Bernard Matthews, hardly a 'bootiful' situation.

All free range birds in the UK will be ordered to be kept undercover and various restrictions will be put in place.

I can see this resulting in widespread panic despite the fact that you pretty much have to french kiss a turkey to contract the virus. Still quite a major development though.

MB

Mark · 03-02-2007, 13:27

And the 1602nd to 2618th cases as well.

Yup, I can see mass hysteria and everyone boycotting Bernard Matthews products on the misguided belief that 'OMGWTF they're all infected with bird flu and I'll die'.

Stan_Lite · 03-02-2007, 13:32

The fact that it's on a factory farm run by Bernard Matthews makes it easier to contain the outbreak as they have quite high standards of bio security in place (although, one needs to question the effectiveness of these measures since the infection got in in the first case).

I must say, I was disappointed by the BBC scaremongering this morning, implying that customers who had bought BM products may be worried. A more responsible line would have been to reassure people that there was absolutely no reason to worry about cooked poultry products and that their dry, tasteless Bernard Matthews turkey roast was still safe to eat.

Stan

Mark · 03-02-2007, 13:40

They've tried reassurance before - it's probably more likely to scare people than just saying they're going to be scared.

What's that saying about individuals generally being intelligent but mankind being dumb.

PS - had a bad experience with BM turkey perchance?

Stan_Lite · 03-02-2007, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark

PS - had a bad experience with BM turkey perchance?

I just find it to be typical of many mass produced products - quality is sacrificed in the name of quantity and profit.

(Having said that, I used to have a soft spot for golden drummers

).

Stan

Mark · 03-02-2007, 16:07

I still do

- though not had any in absolutely aaages.

It's true that it's hard to beat anything farm fresh or from a decent butcher, but I've had worse.

Tak · 03-02-2007, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark

Yup, I can see mass hysteria and everyone boycotting Bernard Matthews products on the misguided belief that 'OMGWTF they're all infected with bird flu and I'll die'.

No these are British people - they'll probably just boycot all turkey (maybe even all poultry)

*clears space in freezer for when (ok....if) turkey becomes cheaper*

Mark · 03-02-2007, 16:14

I already have the space ready and waiting. Now that Golden Drummers have been mentioned, etc.

Nutcase · 04-02-2007, 15:08

This event will cause much more mass hysteria than the swan. And yet it's much more controllable this time.

We're rather worried again - 2 outdoor aviaries. One we can move the birds indoors if it starts spreading a little more south, the other we can't.

We'd already taken precautions (roofs are sheeted, sides are partially enclosed, but defra etc. don't take any notice of that - if you're inside a zone, you're a target

Tak · 05-02-2007, 14:33

Article on possible knee-jerk reaction from consumers

03-02-2007, 13:07	#1
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	H5N1 Bird Flu in the UK Well the UK now has its second case of bird flu (well 2nd to 1601st). Up to now the only one case was a dead swan on a beach, the second is a little larger 1600 turkeys at a battery farm in Suffolk run by Bernard Matthews, hardly a 'bootiful' situation. All free range birds in the UK will be ordered to be kept undercover and various restrictions will be put in place. I can see this resulting in widespread panic despite the fact that you pretty much have to french kiss a turkey to contract the virus. Still quite a major development though. MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

03-02-2007, 13:32	#3
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	The fact that it's on a factory farm run by Bernard Matthews makes it easier to contain the outbreak as they have quite high standards of bio security in place (although, one needs to question the effectiveness of these measures since the infection got in in the first case). I must say, I was disappointed by the BBC scaremongering this morning, implying that customers who had bought BM products may be worried. A more responsible line would have been to reassure people that there was absolutely no reason to worry about cooked poultry products and that their dry, tasteless Bernard Matthews turkey roast was still safe to eat. Stan __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

05-02-2007, 14:33	#10
Tak L'Oréal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 9,977	Article on possible knee-jerk reaction from consumers __________________ The look on your face when a toddler rips out your heart and shows it to you? Priceless.... For everything else, there's FWOOSH!

03-02-2007, 13:27	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	And the 1602nd to 2618th cases as well. Yup, I can see mass hysteria and everyone boycotting Bernard Matthews products on the misguided belief that 'OMGWTF they're all infected with bird flu and I'll die'.

03-02-2007, 13:40	#4
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	They've tried reassurance before - it's probably more likely to scare people than just saying they're going to be scared. What's that saying about individuals generally being intelligent but mankind being dumb. PS - had a bad experience with BM turkey perchance?

03-02-2007, 16:07	#6
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I still do - though not had any in absolutely aaages. It's true that it's hard to beat anything farm fresh or from a decent butcher, but I've had worse.

03-02-2007, 16:14	#8
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I already have the space ready and waiting. Now that Golden Drummers have been mentioned, etc.

04-02-2007, 15:08	#9
Nutcase Moonshine Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chelmsford, innit! Posts: 3,979	This event will cause much more mass hysteria than the swan. And yet it's much more controllable this time. We're rather worried again - 2 outdoor aviaries. One we can move the birds indoors if it starts spreading a little more south, the other we can't. We'd already taken precautions (roofs are sheeted, sides are partially enclosed, but defra etc. don't take any notice of that - if you're inside a zone, you're a target