there is no cause for alarm… as is clear from the French Press releases…
the transmission has been noted and it is being closely monitored.
Unfortunately, some foreign headlines are alarmingly worded
@kirsteastevenson
sadly, it’s this sort of hype “incredibly concerning”… that draws the eye… and can cause distress, which is why I said: no cause for alarm…
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Mixed feelings about this. If avian flu jumps to humans and becomes readily transmissible then it will quite likely reduce the problems of overcrowding for a while. But that’s a big if at the moment. Vaccines will be along, but probably not a pan-flu vaccine.
I’m a bit horrified that so many flu vaccines are still made in eggs.
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Not that there is anything much we can do, other than hope vaccines are being made and kept current after learning lessons on preparedness from Covid-19. We can keep alert
And educated
I started this thread as @Susannah had posted info on the Covid thread…
However, I’ll leave you all to mull/chew things over…
If I read anything note-worthy in the French Press, I’ll put it here… other than that… byee
Edits in translation
"Several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been detected in France very recently , both in wild birds and in poultry or captive birds" indicated the Directorate General of Health in a letter dated December 29 . . " The health situation has deteriorated and worsened" confirms the Ministry of Agriculture on January 6, 2023.
If you travel to (or live in) an area where avian flu is prevalent, many biosecurity measures are recommended:
* avoid high risk areas. The legislation prohibits any transport of birds in this case and imposes strict biosecurity measures in poultry farms: footbaths, autoluves)
* avoid direct contact with birds, especially hens, chickens, ducks and wild birds; people with “pet hens” must confine them to avoid any contact with wild birds under penalty of a fine;
* avoid surfaces contaminated with bird droppings or secretions;
* observe the rules of hand hygiene and food hygiene.
In addition, France has put in place a government plan to fight against avian flu with different steps to follow depending on the progress of a possible epidemic.
Is it safe to eat chicken and eggs?
"Yes, assures Jeanne Brugère-Picoux. There is no risk for humans to eat poultry or eggs, even a boiled or raw egg”
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China again?
I expect China, and Asia are more often than not a source of zoonotic virus transfer because people live, work and eat animals in such close proximity.
I remember with each virus wave the government’s would blame bats having brought it to farm animals. But no one ever shuts down the ‘wet markets’ because of cultural resistance. It is uncanny that Covid-19 emerged from Wuhan market, whatever/whoever brought it there.
So yes, the next pandemic may emerge from Asia. Nothing will change there to prevent it
And nothing will change in the western world so long as we rely on cheap chicken / turkey etc for food. Keeping hundreds of birds (if not thousands) in a restricted area (even if more humane than battery conditions) and overuse of antibiotics to sort any problems creates the most appalling monocultures which are rampant breeding grounds for the transmission of disease.
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And in the meantime the local price of canard cru has gone up quite a lot .
Incidentally, for anyone near me in the NW Aveyron stretch of the Lot Valley, I now have a few local sources of traditionally raised pork, including porc noir also nitrate free jambon de Paris. Last Friday bought 900 gms of local, non-industrial porc filet for €15 . By contrast, Spain’s industrial pig farming is vying with that of the Dutch as the EU’s next intensive farming social and eco disaster (as in the US, run-off and nitrate intensive manure from these animal factories is polluting local drinking water supplies)…
I think if one lives south of the Massif Central it’s worth being picky or discreeetly nosey about the source and elevage of loal pork products, because much of the south is not really suitable pig raising country.
People get upset about battery chickens, but what about industrially raised cattle, pigs and rabbits in CE? I’m a dedicated carnivore, but wouldn’t want to eat any of those.
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Thé producers round these parts are quite alarmed too.
Can we have that in writing please ? 
The warnings are out there…
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Mark, I am very interested. I only ever buy free range pork here in the UK - not possible to buy in town apart from bacon but we have a choice of farm shops. Would like to visit one of these suppliers in Aveyron.
I think it’s less common here than in the UK, but one can buy cote de porc noir de Cambes (village just west of Figeac) on the Satuday market - it’s very flavoursome! I also buy a variety of traditionally farmed pork cuts at Decazeville’s Friday market and from another stall, nitrate-free jambon de Paris; Let me know if you want anything, I can buy and freeze it.
Thanks Mark
Update:
The good news is that there is already a vaccine and it may soon be available: