Cyprus-Forum.com

[devil]

NICOSIA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - EU member Cyprus will stockpile anti-viral drugs as part of contingency planning against avian flu after an outbreak of the highly contagious virus in neighbouring Turkey, officials said on Wednesday.

Experts fear the virus, known to pass to humans from birds, could mutate and start spreading easily from person to person, possibly creating a pandemic.

Tests are still pending on whether the virus detected in Turkey is a low-risk strain or a highly virulent one which has killed 60 people and millions of birds across Asia.

Cypriot Health Minister Andreas Gavrielides said authorities were working to release funds quickly to buy anti-viral drugs. The quantity would be equivalent to the needs of four to five percent of Cyprus's population, which is just under a million.

"We have reviewed our plans and confirmed we are prepared for any eventuality," Gavrielides told Reuters.

Cyprus lies on a key bird migration route and authorities struggle to control the illegal trapping of hundreds of thousands of birds, which are consumed as delicacies.

Authorities in Turkish Cypriot north Cyprus, which has close ties with Turkey, have also banned the import of Turkish poultry.

My emphasis in the above quote. My questions:
why has the stockpile not already been implemented? They have had weeks of warning from the WHO
if they are "working to release funds", it means they haven't yet been ordered. Why haven't they ordered in a timely manner? The demand is probably so high now that the delivery lead time is likely to be months.
how can anyone say "we are prepared" when there isn't a drop of vaccine in the country?
who will be the privileged 4-5% who will receive the vaccine, in the unlikely event that a pandemic occurs? Well I suppose we can count on Tassos P. and his henchmen, but will Anastassiades?

IMHO, this report, if true, is just one further proof that the government has its collective head in the ozone layer.

[Sotos]

better late than never Would you suggest that they should import 700.000 vaccines? Is this possible?

[Nicko]

Yes this is possible, 700,000 is a very large number. first we must understand how the funds are released.
Dr. Vasilis manolitis confirmed that humans who are over the age of 70-75 are at risk of the disease forming into oresaligitis which breaks part of the imune system in elderly people. A news spokesman spoke to Cypriot Health Minister Andreas Gavrielidis to ask weather they have purchased the anti-virul drugs needed on the island. There was a lame response of "we are working on it" what does this mean. Harris portomidis the Cypriot coordiantor for emergency response unit also was shocked with the remark made, "i was shocked to hear Mr. Gavrielidis Remark, i have known him for 22 years and i have never understood why he must make such lazy remarks, maybe he is avoiding the facts, but we will not stand for such remarks and we the public demand that the ministry confirm exactly when the drugs are purchased. Mr Portomidis has vowed to boycott chicken meals e.g chicken soup, chicken pie, chicken kebab, chicken curry, eggs & Kenticky Fried Chicken. Dr. Mati ftikaimiti also will make a proposal to the public of Nicosia to join a demonstration aimed at putting pressure on the Government.

[BirKibrisli]

Here is what I know for sure about this bird flu thing:

There is no vaccine as such to prevent it from happening.The best they can do is to treat it with anti-viral drugs either before or after the illness takes hold.Preferably before as once it starts you have about 24 hours to diagnose and begin treatment,otherwise the patient is in big trouble.

So far the only way you can catch it is by direct contact with live birds,hence only people who work with birds or hunt them have been affected.There has been NO PROVEN CASE OF HUMAN TO HUMAN TRANSMISSION so far.The fear of course is that the virus will adapt to humans and people will infect each other which will be the trigger for the feared pandemic.
The bad news is that only a handful of countries are producing these antiviral drugs,and it is nowhere near meeting demand at this stage.
Even in Australia which produces the drugs the strategy is to give it to those most vulnerable or most at risk,they cannot hope to produce enough for everyone in Australia in the short term.Some people have argued that to give it preventatively is a waste of scarse resources,better to wait till people catch it and give it to those.There is no easy answer in my opinion.Oh,the last point,eating infected birds is safe provided they have been boiled at 60degrees C for at least 30 minutes as this will kill teh virus. I do not recommend anyone to eat these birds however.Time to be alert but not alarmed yet iMO.

[Nicko]

It seems you have been doing your homework Birkibrisli.

[BirKibrisli]

It seems you have been doing your homework Birkibrisli.

We go to bed with this damn bird flu,and we wake up with this damn bird flu,here in Australia, Nicko-mou.You wouldn't want to be slightly neurotic or paraniod these days.You will die of stress before the bird flu gets you.

[Nicko]

Birki, what did u think of my report i made at 09:12 today? did u read it?

[dms007]

Would not eating chicken or chicken products help? Prevention is better than cure, is it not?

[Nicko]

In 2001 Dr. Mark jones told the guardian that a poultry epedemic would be an avoidable scenario. He warned farmers that Romania was one of the most likley of places. Soon after he made his speech to the brighton conservative party, he was faced with death threats from an unknown death squad. Later that year, Scotland Yard had links to who made the threats, those links lead to a group called....Gazuntite99.
I won't go into detail on the group it will take 4ever. Dr. Jones was rushed into hiding by the S.A.S because he was a lead witness. The MI5 ordered an investigastion into the group, and found out extremley disturbing news. On October 12th 2005, MI5 launched a top secret mission to destroy the groups leader who was based in Nicosia Cyprus, the group leaders name: CONFIDENTIAL. This was all to do with the Bird Flu, there is a cospiricy, there is a man behind the crime.

[Sotos]

The best they can do is to treat it with anti-viral drugs either before or after the illness takes hold.Preferably before as once it starts you have about 24 hours to diagnose and begin treatment,otherwise the patient is in big trouble.

Are these anti-viral drugs special for bird-flu? Or the usual anti-viral drugs? Would it be a good idea if we stock in our homes some of these drugs? If the situation goes our of control I can see how the demand/supply of these drugs will develop!