Have bird flu warnings affected you?

The outbreak of bird flu, the virus that has hit several Asian countries, has so far claimed 19 lives.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization are hoping that mass vaccination of poultry will cut the chance of it spreading to humans.

Approximately 50 million birds have been killed in efforts to contain the virus but culling outside affected areas could be avoided by use of vaccines.

Are you worried? Has the outbreak affected you? Have you changed your travel plans or maybe even stopped eating chicken?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your comments:

When is someone going to take charge and start doing something before it gets out of control? I was raised on a farm and we never had such things, like Mad Cow or chicken Flu. We vaccinated our hogs and cattle and had the vet come out and check our livestock. I've stopped eating beef, chicken and turkey. The only thing left is fish, pork and lamb and the pork will be next because we already have to vaccinate them for diseases.
Mike Richter, Melbourne, USA

I do not think it is a big problem for human health. Actually, tens of people die from every kind of diseases other than bird flu, the people dead from this flu just account for a small percentage of death of diseases. But it is a real big problem for Asian economy. And another problem is people will be scared, that is not good.
Zhao Tan, China

Why do we not stockpile a quantity of cheap drugs which can stop influenza in its tracks? Gregory V. Richardson, Anderson, Indiana, USA

As a physician, I have taken a keen interest in the bird flu developments. The fact that a pandemic of bird flu might duplicate or exceed the millions of deaths that occurred in the 1918 influenza pandemic leads me to one overriding thought: Why do we not stockpile a quantity of cheap drugs (e.g. amantadine) which can stop influenza in its tracks?
Gregory V. Richardson, Anderson, Indiana, USA

The point about bird flu is that, whilst it poses little threat in itself, these avian influenza viruses have the potential to mutate, or recombine, in humans into a new human influenza and to cause a pandemic. The 1918 'Spanish flu' epidemic killed more people than the First World War, many of them healthy young people. This then is the real concern and this is why governments are acting (with greater or lesser effectiveness) to try to contain the epidemic in birds.
Adrian Holme, London, UK

One million people die from malaria every year, that's 114 every hour. Then there is dengue fever... no I am not at all worried about avian flu.
David, Qatar

I'm worried that a future outbreak will be able to spread from person to person, but I am not worried now. People seem to be very misinformed. From what I read, in order to be infected you'd have to handle live chickens or their waste. Not very likely, in my line of work.
Matt, USA

The bird flu is not a serious matter to the public at the moment, as it can only channelled from animal to human. However, if it can successfully be channelled from human to human, there will be a serious outbreak that no country in the world can cope. Beware.
CK, UK

As a biologist I am deeply concerned by the flu-type diseases that are arising from animal vectors in the Far East Sally Marshall, England

As a biologist I am deeply concerned by the flu-type diseases that are arising from animal vectors in the Far East. I worry far more however at the general attitude of many people who have heard so many Government scare stories that they now disbelieve them all on principal and who do not have the scientific knowledge to be able to distinguish genuine problems from what they perceive as propaganda.
Sally Marshall, England

Last year it was the SARS that made us afraid of cough, this year it's a dozen cases of bird flu that makes us drop eating chicken. I wonder if they tell us next year that breathing air and drinking water is also too dangerous and unhealthy.
Slava, Novosibirsk, Russia

I've been aware of the outbreak of avian flu, but not overly panic. Hundreds of the youngsters are enjoy eating the KFC junk food in many superstores right in Bangkok. How can one be too panic than the owner of the poultry like Mr Thanin Jiarawanont, the Superking of chicken meat and egg?
S. Tran, Bangkok, Thailand

Another PANDEMIC alert, perhaps. As a consumer of these potential killer bugs, can I get a realistic government health warning?
Nick, Osset, West Yorkshire, UK

It's important to remember only 12 lives were lost. Sorry to sound rude but Asia likely loses tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives to the regular human flu every week, scores more to other diseases like Malaria, Hepatitis, TB, and plain old fashioned food poisoning or such, 12 people lost to Bird Flu, that's not worth the worry, pure overblown media hype.
Stephen, San Jose, CA, USA

My family and I are very worried about this bird flu we have stopped eating chickens!!
Tracy, Edinburgh

British travellers to South East Asia face a considerably higher risk of dying as a result of Lightning Strike than of Bird Flu John, England

Malaria kills millions of people each year - Bird Flu has killed 12! British travellers to South East Asia face a considerably higher risk of dying as a result of Lightning Strike than of Bird Flu. This whole story is nothing more than media-induced hype and frenzy!
John, England

Yes I am worry about bird flu. No one in my family is eating any chicken, duck or goose, even though these are the food you eat for Chinese New Year.
Christina, Hong Kong, China

Do the "powers that be" not realise, that it is the cramped and filthy conditions these animals are kept in, which renders them susceptible to disease. One just has to see the images on TV to understand the appalling lack of any thought for animal welfare. Until this is sorted out, we will have more and more outbreaks of virulent diseases, coming from the Far East, and where did they get their ideas for battery hens from? Have three guesses.
Sandra, UK

Don't be panic. People should take vegetarian diet. Be vegetarian and you have no risk of this disease. If any affected bird is traced in any country it should be treated well. The dead bird should be buried so that it can't be spread.
Sita Ram Singh, Delhi, India.

I came to Bali despite the bird flu outbreak. However, I am greatly concerned still seeing chicken walking freely around in residential neighbourhoods despite the governments claim to have started a mass cull. A widely held belief here is that those freely roaming chicken are not in danger of contracting the avian flu, that this flu is contracted only by chicken on chicken farms.
Patrick, Bali, Indonesia

After hearing stories from the media and my friends who live in the 'red zones', I am now scared of it Nina, Bangkok

I admit that I was not afraid of the bird flu at first. But after hearing stories from the media and my friends who live in the 'red zones', I am now scared of it. All I can do right now is avoiding eating chicken, eggs, and ducks. I do not even trust those birds flying over my head! No one can be sure, they might be carrying the disease and might fall down and die in front of me as it happened to one friend of mine.
Nina, Bangkok, Thailand

Prospective is required. Just like during the beef crises. But I guess we will do our usual panicking instead¿ It will be pork next¿.
James, Dorset, UK

If the risk of mutation of bird flu to becoming a highly contagious and deadly human infection is as real as the experts quoted in the media say it is, every person in the world is at risk. The potential ecological catastrophe of our generation is taking a back seat in the news to the titillation of the moment.
Mark, USA

I am travelling to Bangkok and Hong Kong in April to see a friend who has been living in Bangkok since September. He was totally unaware of the outbreak until I asked him about it! I think that countries "cover up" the facts which lead to all the scare-mongering and subsequently leads to spread of any disease as people are not aware of it. I have no intention in altering my plans at the moment unless there is a complete ban on travel and am looking forward to the trip!
Amanda H., London, UK

My mother always tells me that we can't now even eat egg for breakfast Min-choel Kim, Anyang, South Korea

Even in South Korea and Japan, lots of people are afraid of eating chicken, duck and so on. Well my parents especially my mother always tells me that we can't now even eat egg for breakfast. And many poultry men are filled with sorrow as well as those who run chicken food restaurant like KFC. Also I'm scared that this flu can have an effect on Asian economy.
Min-choel Kim, Anyang, South Korea

I booked my flight to Thailand after I heard about the outbreak. Don't panic is what I say. The world is full of far more contagious diseases and all we have to do to avoid them is take very basic everyday precautions i.e. don't go to a chicken farm. It's as easy as using a condom.
John Prendergast, London UK

Let us not forget that Disease is the rule of existence. Only Nature's creations are complete. We must not go against nature rather should learn lessons from these incidence. Whether or not worry or eat or not eat meat makes no differences.
KB Bohara, Kathmandu Nepal

I'm not as worried as I was when SARS hit the scene, because there's no evidence of human-human transmission (yet). Many street vendors and restaurants have stopped serving chicken, although it's still safe to eat it as long as the meat is cooked well. I don't plan to visit any poultry farms, and frankly I'm more concerned about getting into a road accident!
Gaby Zollner, Bangkok, Thailand

The outbreak hasn't affected India. I am sad it's affected the world. The precautions are being taken and hopefully things would be back to normal.
Pallavi Goorha, New Delhi

I have been backpacking around SE Asia over the last 5 months, visited all of the infected countries. I have been eating chicken (from street vendors) and omelettes etc, shared rooms with other backpackers with flu. You cannot avoid live chickens out here as they run around freely everywhere you go. Neither me nor any of the backpackers out here are concerned about it. Don't believe the hype!
Pete D, Chiang Mai Thailand (but from England)

It has not affected us in UK but is no less worrying. The disease is volatile and I believe has more than just pure chance of mutating to human transmitted Flu. If this happens then I doubt their is any prevention from a Global outbreak.
Richard Sweetman, Winsford, England

I avoid eating chicken, eggs and duck and I think that is all I can do Cat, Chachoengsao, Thailand (from UK)

I live and teach in a high risk area. I avoid eating chicken, eggs and duck and I think that is all I can do. I am not afraid as so many things in life have a risk of some sort and I am not afraid to live in Thailand because of the bird flu.
Cat, Chachoengsao, Thailand (from UK)

Why doesn't anybody tell us more of the spreading of the virus? We live in Bangkok, where there are swimming pools in every building and usually we "share" it with all kinds of birds. Can we get the virus from contaminated water? Can we carry it to our homes in the soles of our shoes? (The droppings of the birds-also chickens, are all over the city). Yes, I'm worried, I have a small son who likes to put his fingers to his mouth.
Rita, Finland

I am going to Thailand in a month's time and won't be changing my plans. Millions die every year from Malaria, but does that stop people travelling?
Nigel, London, UK

At the present time I think that paranoia is a far more worrying phenomenon than the bird flu. There is absolutely no reason to change travel plans or to stop eating chicken and the effect of this will have even more devastating consequences on the economy of these already unfortunate countries.
Debra, HK

I am very happy these plans have been cancelled. But, I am sorry they have been cancelled for the economic reasons and not the proper reasons, that is, these primate research centres are not the correct way forward for the new science generation of the 21st century.
E. McCaul, London

Can the anti vivisection brigade tell me how we can develop a vaccine against 'bird flu' without using chickens? Answers on a post card please.
John, France

I have definitely stopped eating chicken. I am amazed that people around me ARE still eating it and are not worried at all. Chicken here in the markets is now less than a dollar a kilo....what does that tell you? I am mostly concerned for all of the people in the Asia area who will be affected economically by this outbreak....
Pia Hazebroek, Bali, Indonesia

I'm going to Thailand in three weeks so I am a little bit worried, but I will go anyway because I have been planning this for almost one year. Last year it was the SARS, and I said, OK! I will go next year, now is the avian flu. Next year....WHAT?? So, I will go this time. Wish me luck.
Beatrice, Romania, Bucharest

Bird flu is a stupendous nightmare for human beings of course. In Yangon, Myanmar, mostly chickens have been fed by Thailand's animal nutritious foods. Domestic breeding animals normally eat the rice, thereafter they're unable to infect birds flu easily. May only I can pray to the Buddha is that outbreaks flu disappear in short time.
Myat Thu, Yangon, Burma

At the moment I'd rather be a chicken than eat one Rod Buckham, Vancouver, Canada

A friend of mine has been travelling through Malaysia since late December. She sends emails full of bravado, describing her fearlessness as she shops in many of the animal markets. She may be fearless but I have decided that when she returns I will quietly give her a wide berth for a few weeks. At the moment I'd rather be a chicken than eat one.
Rod Buckham, Vancouver, Canada

More concerned than affected by yet another outbreak, it is obvious that nature is trying to tell us something. I just hope we listen.
Ec, USA

I long ago gave up eating most meat. It is just too dangerous. BSE in cows, scapie in sheep, salmonella and bird flu in birds. Who knows what else is out there. So I only eat vegetarian and seafood caught in the sea (i.e. not farmed). There are a wide range of protein sources without needing to resort to meat. As far as I am concerned the meat industry has ceased to exist.
Roger, UK

I am so worried since when got to know that bird flue is sweeping in Asia. As I am among those people who eat mostly chicken but since then I have stopped. So this is my request to all those who are chicken lovers please stop eating chicken because there is nothing more important than human life in this world. We all have to cooperate in this eradication of flu.
Aliya Khan, Pakistan

What I am really concerned about is not the flu itself, but the cause which degenerated the situation. Just like the outbreak of SARS, a few governments did not inform the public as the bird flu broke out in their countries and thus made things worse. It is conceivable that they wanted to prevent their export from being banned by other countries, but don't they think things would be a lot of easier if they did not conceal the incident? If they had released the news earlier, even though they might not be able to solve the problem, I'm sure that WHO would help them out. I hope that people have learned a lesson from it and work in conjunction with each other to get through it.
Hsiaoling, Taipei, Taiwan

I am not worried about the bird flu as I believe that it is all so predictable. We are so in line for a mass plague or epidemic of one kind or the other. We have tampered with this planet to its detriment for so long that there are bound to be repercussions. I believe that this sort of problem is only just starting.
Caroline, New Zealand

There must be a link between how the animals are treated and outbreaks of disease Mrs T Marshall, Hemel Hempstead, England

Problems like this are happening again and again all over the world, there must be a link between how the animals are treated and outbreaks of disease. When people treat animals with respect and give them the feed and living conditions they need to stay healthy then we may stop these needless outbreaks.
Mrs T Marshall, Hemel Hempstead, England

How serious the bird flu is one can never know? So is it not right to advise the public from avoiding eating chicken in the mean time? Does it not "prevention is better than cure" best be implemented in this situation because it involves human lives!
Nipa, Hatyai, Thailand

To save further tragedies happening again, give up killing poor creatures for taste. Mother nature have given plenty of green food for consumption.
Vinoo, UK

As I live in a high risk area I'm very worried. Let me tell you why, many Thai people keep a couple of chickens at home neighbours either side of me keep chickens running around the street and gardens, these animals have not been covered in the culls. There is also a normal human flu bug going around at the moment. If it combines the rest will be history. It's nearly impossible here to avoid contact with fowl and their faeces.
Steve, Ayutthaya Thailand

I'm going on holiday to Thailand in two weeks. I now have a recurring Benny Hillesqe dream of me and my wife running down a street in Bangkok followed by a flock of chickens.
Mike, Ipswich UK

The reporting in the local media here has gone from alarmist to reason. It is not reassuring for the Thai people though and KFC is deserted.
Lesley, Bangkok, Thailand

We have 10 chickens - my daughter's pets. Now we keep them in the coop and give them the medicine. They look ok so far but we don't know what will happen next. I told my maid and my kids not to touch them. I pray that this flu will stop very soon. God bless our country!
Kitty Wong, Bangkok, Thailand

The price of pork has risen in the market Steve Smith, Kamphaengsaen

I am a teacher at a university in Thailand, right in the middle of the infected area. Even though I know that the chance of infection is very low, it is becoming scary. I have stopped eating chicken, duck and eggs. The price of pork has risen in the market.

A week or so ago, someone dumped approx 10,000 dead ducks into the local canal. This clogged up the water supply filters to the town and Kamphaengsaen had no water for three days. Was this related? Who knows?

The Thai government is in a state of denial over the whole affair. A doctor who warned that pigs could become infected was slammed by the Prime Minister. If it spreads to pigs, it will be devastating.
Steve Smith, Kamphaengsaen, Thailand

Travellers do not worry if they are stay in a clean hotel and eat from a proper hotel. (Backpackers be careful).
Sebastian Joseph, Cochin, Kerala

The best way is to go Vegetarian. There are hundreds of food choices provided one wants to look at. The cost of dealing with such outbreak and warnings indicates that we should all go total Vegetarian. I am proud to be one of them.
Atul, New York, US

What goes around comes around. Such is the law of nature. When will we realize that diseases such as Avian Flu, Sars, and Mad Cow Disease are brought upon us as a direct reaction for killing animals for food. God does not want us to eat animals and this is His way of reminding us of this fact.
Richard, Toronto Ontario

My heart goes out to the people in the Asian countries who have been hit with the recent outbreak of bird flu. I realize that you have to come in contact with the live birds to possibly contact this disease. However, my concern is, how long is it before wild birds are the carriers of the virus?
Sandra Bellanger, Medstead, Sask. Canada

Now this is another benefit of being a vegetarian. Stay away from chickens folks!
Sachin Vats, India

Poor East Asia. After suffered from Sars last year, now we have the bird flu. I wonder what will happen next year?
Khairul Khalid, East Asia

I am alarmed by the complacency revealed by many of the comments Colin, UK

I am alarmed by the complacency revealed by many of the comments here. The immediate danger is small, but the long term threat is great. This disease, Sars last year and Aids all are or were serious threats to global human life expectancy. Sadly Aids was not stopped. I hope we have the same success against bird flu as against Sars.
Colin, UK

At least this publicity has meant that a few more people will now appreciate the vile conditions that these animals have to endure and hopefully some of them will support the UK's free range farmers rather than buying cheap imports.
Maria, Berkshire, UK

I am on holidays here in Cambodia and all the news reports on cable TV are too alarmist. I am staying away from live chickens, but to be honest the risk seems very small indeed !
Will, Siem Reap, Cambodia (usually UK)

The WHO needs to be careful with its handling of the media. It may be useful at the moment to create panic and clamp down on certain dangerous diseases, but before long, the media and the world will start hearing cries of wolf. When a true pandemic occurs (as inevitably one will), the WHO's authority will have diminished. Please be careful, WHO !
Alex, Birmingham, England

When travel was for the few and most people rarely interacted with locals in remote regions of the world, any mutated diseases resulting form the poor hygiene and indifferent handling of animals quickly died out without spreading. But now, any such event can rapidly become a region wide threat and could escalate into a world wide pandemic. While the effects of global warming can take decades, the damage from the spread of new communicable disease could engulf the world in weeks or months. Where are the environmentalist now?
Mark, USA

We will just stay away from live animal markets and raw meat Mark, Bournemouth, England

I am due to fly out to Thailand on Sunday with 2 friends, and am a bit concerned, but as yet they have said that you can only catch it if u touch infected birds, so we will just stay away from live animal markets and raw meat. Its not going to stop me from eating chicken out there, but I will be keeping an eye on the news while I'm there.
Mark, Bournemouth, England

We are due to travel around Vietnam for three weeks in March. Whilst I will listen to the WHO's daily updates I intend to travel unless the virus mutates. This really is the last thing the Asian economy needs. Fingers crossed.
PP, London

Yes, I worry about bird flu. I sometimes eat chicken. Our country imports and relies on Thailand chicken. The bird flu reminds me of Sars virus last year. And these problems affect our table, food companies and economy.
Noria, Japan

If there are 6 cases of bird flu and about 6 billion people in this world, that means there is a 1 in 1 billion chance that any of us will be affected or 0.0000001%. Is anyone really daft enough to think that this classes it as a pandemic?
Graeme Phillips, Berlin, (normally UK)

A few people have died, and that is a personal tragedy to their families, but it is far from being a worldwide pandemic Richard Johnson, Australia

I was working in Hong Kong at the height of the SARS "epidemic", and I couldn't believe what a lot of over-hyped unscientific bilge was being pumped out by the media.
This looks like more of the same. The disease cannot even be passed from human to human - you have to catch it directly from an infected bird - and yet the news in Australia has already slammed the "killer flu sweeping across Asia" label on it. A few people have died, and that is a personal tragedy to their families, but it is far from being a worldwide pandemic.
Richard Johnson, Melbourne, Australia

My wife and I are honeymooning in Thailand, and she has a fever. According to the WHO website, there are no confirmed cases of the flu being spread through food. Furthermore, the site indicates that the flu virus is killed when cooked at 70C or higher. The reporting of these simple facts would have avoided fear in thousands of travellers.
John-Paull Edo Davidson, Portland, Oregon, USA

I live and work in South East Asia. Bird Flu and Sars are statistically irrelevant. Compare them to the risk of road travel here, last weekend a motor bike slid past me on the pavement bike one side driver the other. Yes these are serious issues for the people effected (industry specific workers, but for tourists they are irrelevant.
Kelvin, Malaysia (UK)

Quote: "Thailand has warned the death toll could be as high as six". As high as 6? Good Lord, I better lock my doors and duct tape up my windows now. Seriously, don't we have more important things to worry about instead of this media scaremongering?
Andy, Birmingham, England.

I am worried about the potential spread of this disease. The main problem is that we will never know exactly what the situation is in Thailand as their government is hardly famed for its honesty. It was clear throughout the whole SARS escapade that the problem in Thailand was far worse then they acknowledged and as a result I worry for the safety of all of South East Asia.
Derek Gruman, Singapore

Our country is on guard. But nothing has changed significantly Carol M., Malaysia

Last year many people who live in Asia were seized with fear of China's SARS. At the beginning of this year, to make things worse, the outbreak of bird flu is very troublesome and once again people worried about if the virus can cross to the human body. In my case, every weekend my children have enjoyed chicken but recently it's strictly forbidden for the sake of their health. In addition, Korean farmers who raise poultry are on the verge of bankruptcy. I strongly hope that Asian countries and WHO do their best to contain this horrible disease.
Han Gye Soo, Kwangju City, South Korea.

I live in Thailand and my family's big concern is not in eating chicken (I had chicken curry on Sunday), but if the avian flu spreads to wild birds it could put our family's pets at risk. Our dogs regularly chase and kill birds on our property.
Alex. Macfarlane, Bangkok, Thailand

I was working in Hong Kong at the height of the SARS "epidemic", and I couldn't believe what a lot of over-hyped unscientific bilge was being pumped out by the media. This looks like more of the same. The disease cannot even be passed from human to human - you have to catch it directly from an infected bird - and yet the news in Australia have already slammed the "killer flu sweeping across Asia" label on it. A few people have died, and that is a personal tragedy to their families, but it is far from being a worldwide pandemic. Yet another example of how to scare the public into buying more newspapers.
Richard Johnson, Melbourne Australia

We came to know the news through media. Our country is on guard. But nothing has changed significantly. We still enjoy our chicken rice lunch.
Carol M., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

My family and friends are in Singapore. Whenever there is news about bird flu or Sars, it makes me worried. I am concern for the safety of my family and friends that are in Asia. However, I also have peace of mind because I know that Singapore will take all precautions and ensure the safety citizens. I am keeping my family and friends in prayer.
Christina Spybey, London, UK

Should it appear that a mutated human version develops, I will likely think twice about visiting the area until things calm down Brandon, Salem

I am due to holiday in Thailand in early March. While I am not feeling too fearful at the moment, I realize that a lot can happen between now and then. I will continue to monitor the situation and hope that more senseless human deaths occur. Should it appear that a mutated human version develops, I will likely think twice about visiting the area until things calm down. The last thing we need is another Sars type epidemic surfacing.
Brandon, Salem, MA, USA

I would be worried if the World Health Organisation was not pro-actively addressing the issue - and no, I have not stopped eating chicken; there is no reason to!
Lawrence Brown, Sheffield, UK

Why let it worry me? For SARS we had far fewer detected cases than the rest of the world, we're not importing Thai chicken and I don't eat the stuff anyway and just have to carry on testing our own livestock as a precaution. Britain can't take the moral high ground after BSE/CJD and Foot and Mouth, but it's the ideal experience to deal with this outbreak. Stop eating chicken? No way!
Flynn, London, England