Bird flu

We know Matt Drudge likes the dramatic headline, but what are we to make of the apparent expansion of the "bird flu?" Will we be ordering our groceries to be delivered to our homes, telecommuting, attending a "virtual trade show" and watching church services on the Net? Not likely, but I would hate to own a chicken ranch about right now.

Here is an excerpt from a European health agency document:



Human flu pandemic
• We do not know when the next pandemic (i.e. a large and severe world-wide epidemic of a new human influenza virus) will happen or which virus will cause it. H5N1 avian influenza evolving or mutating into a form of human influenza is one possible scenario.
• At the moment the virus responsible for Avian flu (H5N1), does not transmit easily from human to human.
• Three pandemics occurred in the 20th century – in 1918-1920, in 1957 and 1968. Experts warn that another pandemic could occur at any time. Therefore the EU and its governments, World Health Organisation and other UN bodies are preparing for this eventuality.
• Vaccination against seasonal flu will not protect people from the possible new (yet unknown) pandemic virus as each flu vaccine is specific to a virus.
• EU and national public authorities have prepared contingency plans in case of a human flu pandemic, in order to be able to respond to the health consequences very rapidly. These plans foresee measures such as advice on public health (early isolation and mask-wearing), the provision of anti-virals, development of vaccines, emergency measures in healthcare systems, international co-ordination, etc.

Press sightings

As I work here in the office on Super Bowl Sunday, I noticed a Kevin Moffitt press mention talking up recent demand for Northwest pears.

Also in the weekend press, one California lawmaker's ideas for tracking farmworkers and food safety regulations.
Abel Maldonado, a Republican who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, was quoted,

"We've got to do something to protect California grown and for inspections of imported produce," he said.

In my view, the state of California should leave imported produce to the FDA. There is no sense in establishing state regulations for imported produce, as much as the idea is appealing to California growers facing magnified scrutiny.


Quite a bit of Wal-Mart coverage, including reports of strong January same-store sales growth and a little speculation about its Kansas City meeting last week.