NationStates Jolt Archive

The public has been told not to panic over the threat of bird flu as the government has taken "all necessary measures", the defence secretary says.

John Reid was speaking after the H5N1 strain was found in birds in France, Iran and India.

"It hasn't arrived [in the UK]. Don't let's panic. And I'm sure that the government has got all necessary measures there," he said.

More at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4729368.stm

...

:eek:

Given that he's the defence secretary, he's probably thinking of strapping bombs to trained pigeons.

Has there ever been a recorded instance of an organisation with power, authority or influence telling people that now is an appropriate time for panic?

Given that he's the defence secretary, he's probably thinking of strapping bombs to trained pigeons.


BRILLIANT :D

Given that he's the defence secretary, he's probably thinking of strapping bombs to trained pigeons.

Nah: what is obviously needed is a compulsory program of avian identity cards.

Has there ever been a recorded instance of an organisation with power, authority or influence telling people that now is an appropriate time for panic?


Only those religious geezer types. You know, fire and brimstone etc.

No cases in Australia yet. Why do I suspect a cover up somewhere?

Only those religious geezer types. You know, fire and brimstone etc.

A religious frenzy is not the same thing as a panic though (excepting those who do actually worship Pan, obviously), is it?

Given that he's the defence secretary, he's probably thinking of strapping bombs to trained pigeons.


No no no, it will be small gun's so pigeons can get revenge on the owl's and hawk's etc that keep eating them while the public get to watch birds dogfighting .

Has there ever been a recorded instance of an organisation with power, authority or influence telling people that now is an appropriate time for panic?
That would be sooo awesome! :D

It's just a shame they didn't have it emblazoned on the back of the newspaper.

Has there ever been a recorded instance of an organisation with power, authority or influence telling people that now is an appropriate time for panic?

Nah - just to "duck.... and cover!".

No no no, it will be small gun's so pigeons can get revenge on the owl's and hawk's etc that keep eating them while the public get to watch birds dogfighting .

Do you reckon birds ever stop to wonder how the hell dogs managed to get a form of aerial combat named after them?

"Hang on here, we're the ones with the wings and the talons and the beaks that fight for survival in mid-air, but they are the ones with four legs, no wings and a very limited ability to even get off the ground, never mind stay off it - so who the hell did they sleep with to get dogfighting named after them?"

I would probably start to have a tendency to panic, when the government is asking me not to

"It hasn't arrived [in the UK]. Don't let's panic. And I'm sure that the government has got all necessary measures there," he said.

You mean he doesn't know? A member of the cabinet doesn't know if the necessary measures are in place?

Ladies and gentlemen, this may be a good point to start panicking...

...mr mainwaring.

Only those religious geezer types. You know, fire and brimstone etc.

Yeah, but it's usually followed by "But, buy this book!" or, send a "Donation to my ministry!" so that you will be saved when the "holy shit hits the fan!".

Fuckin' televangelists.

You mean he doesn't know? A member of the cabinet doesn't know if the necessary measures are in place?

Ladies and gentlemen, this may be a good point to start panicking...

Now now, don't go running around like a chicken with your head cut off.

;)

Hey look, us Germans have somewhere around 100 (reported) cases of the bird flu, and allegedly there still is "absolutely no reason to panic".
So, you know. Let's not panic.

Hey look, us Germans have somewhere around 100 (reported) cases of the bird flu, and allegedly there still is "absolutely no reason to panic".
So, you know. Let's not panic.:eek: They've gotten to you! Either that or you're one of them!

Now now, don't go running around like a chicken with your head cut off.

;)

I expect the government to be incompetant but they're usually fairly good at concealing the greater excesses of their idiocy.

*panics frantically*

This has all been inevitable. The time for panic is long since gone. Just hang through the ride!

:eek: They've gotten to you! Either that or you're one of them!

Why do you make me choose?

This has all been inevitable. The time for panic is long since gone. Just hang through the ride!

Yep. We're fucked. :)

Incidently why are we meant to be panicking? Bird flu won't kill any people in this country in its current form and the transition to a pandemic form of the virus will most likely occur in an impoverished area of Asia or Africa.

Yep. We're fucked. :)

Not all of us - there will still be survivors after this. We survived the Black Death, we'll survive this. Just, you know, hope you won the genetic lottery.

Yep. We're fucked. :)

Nah, most estimates predict that it won't reach the level of the Spanish Flu.

I'm not British so can I panic?

Incidently why are we meant to be panicking? Bird flu won't kill any people in this country in its current form and the transition to a pandemic form of the virus will most likely occur in an impoverished area of Asia or Africa.

Because it's incubation period will most likely be long enough that by the time it is identified, it'll already spread beyond hope of effective containment.

That, and the people it kills come to life again as zombies. *nod*

Incidently why are we meant to be panicking? Bird flu won't kill any people in this country in its current form and the transition to a pandemic form of the virus will most likely occur in an impoverished area of Asia or Africa.

Because once it does mutate into it's pandemic form Britain is particuarly at risk, because of the high density of population and ease of travel to and from the country according to the BBC website.

If only it could be like normal flu and only really be risky to OAPs - apparently young and otherwise healthy adults are most at risk, as they haven't built up partial immunity like older people.

Because it's incubation period will most likely be long enough that by the time it is identified, it'll already spread beyond hope of effective containment.

That, and the people it kills come to life again as zombies. *nod*

Because once it does mutate into it's pandemic form Britain is particuarly at risk, because of the high density of population and ease of travel to and from the country according to the BBC website.

If only it could be like normal flu and only really be risky to OAPs - apparently young and otherwise healthy adults are most at risk, as they haven't built up partial immunity like older people.

Yes but once it goes pandemic the spread of bird-to-bird flu will be irrelevant. The fact that avian carried flu has nearly reached the UK doesn't affect the risk of the pandemic flu arriving because we're screwed whatever happens.

Paul Stanley is my favorite member of KISS.

I'm not British so can I panic?
You may want to ask your local political representative. I'm not British and I may not.

Bird flu won't kill any people in this country in its current form and the transition to a pandemic form of the virus will most likely occur in an impoverished area of Asia or Africa.
Was it only my half-asleep, clouded brain this morning, or did they say in the radio today that there already is one person who died from it in Asia?
And you aren't fool enough to underestimate spreading?

Yes but once it goes pandemic the spread of bird-to-bird flu will be irrelevant. The fact that avian carried flu has nearly reached the UK doesn't affect the risk of the pandemic flu arriving because we're screwed whatever happens.

Well, consider this;

Bird-to-bird contact is of no real risk to us so the number of bird-flu cases in birds is not that important...

...except, that the more birds with flu there are, the greater the chance is of a human catching it from a bird. However, that really isn't much of a threat since that form of bird flu cannot be passed human-to-human.

...except that if the human infected with bird flu has another form of flu, the two forms could do a gene swap and create a human-to-human form of a deadly bird flu.

So indirectly, the number and location of bird flu cases in birds increases the exposure to humans, and thus, the chances of a mutation to a lethal form.

Well, England. Time for you to adopt the pose:
http://www.dvd.net.au/movies/t/08232-4.jpg
and repeat after me:
"I'm a teapot! I'm a teapot! I'm a teapot!"

Nah - just to "duck.... and cover!".
It'll prob be a similar cry now:
"Duck!...take cover!"

"BBC: UK Government urges people not to panic!"

Excellent advice under all circumstances. The only thing panic accomplishes is to make people unable to function properly at the very times when they need to function at the highest levels of efficiency and intellect. Controlling your emotions becomes critical when facing danger, and it's almost always those who manage to do so who survive.

Trust me, I know about this to my very marrow.

Well, consider this;

Bird-to-bird contact is of no real risk to us so the number of bird-flu cases in birds is not that important...

...except, that the more birds with flu there are, the greater the chance is of a human catching it from a bird. However, that really isn't much of a threat since that form of bird flu cannot be passed human-to-human.

...except that if the human infected with bird flu has another form of flu, the two forms could do a gene swap and create a human-to-human form of a deadly bird flu.

So indirectly, the number and location of bird flu cases in birds increases the exposure to humans, and thus, the chances of a mutation to a lethal form.

But in the UK and most of Europe higher standards of hygiene mean that farmers are far less likely to catch flu from their birds, several of the children in Turkey caught the virus by playing with the severed heads of chickens, others caught it by eating an infected chicken without cooking it properly. Obviously this isn't likely to happen in the first world.

"BBC: UK Government urges people not to panic!"

Excellent advice under all circumstances. The only thing panic accomplishes is to make people unable to function properly at the very times when they need to function at the highest levels of efficiency and intellect. Controlling your emotions becomes critical when facing danger, and it's almost always those who manage to do so who survive.

Trust me, I know about this to my very marrow.

It's alright for you, you've got an ocean between you and the evil birds of doom! :eek:

Was it only my half-asleep, clouded brain this morning, or did they say in the radio today that there already is one person who died from it in Asia?
And you aren't fool enough to underestimate spreading?

I'm sorry?

It's alright for you, you've got an ocean between you and the evil birds of doom! :eek:
"Birds of doom!" LOL!

Oceans don't mean much when you consider the migratory routes of our avian friends. They consider neither political boundaries nor bodies of water.

"Birds of doom!" LOL!

Oceans don't mean much when you consider the migratory routes of our avian friends. They consider neither political boundaries nor bodies of water.

Personally I think the solution is to refuse to let birds back into the UK unless they can produce a passport, that'll keep the flu out.

I'm sorry?
..only my half-asleep, clouded brain..
.

Personally I think the solution is to refuse to let birds back into the UK unless they can produce a passport, that'll keep the flu out.
uhhh ... riiiight. :rolleyes:

"BBC: UK Government urges people not to panic!"

Excellent advice under all circumstances. The only thing panic accomplishes is to make people unable to function properly at the very times when they need to function at the highest levels of efficiency and intellect. Controlling your emotions becomes critical when facing danger, and it's almost always those who manage to do so who survive.

Trust me, I know about this to my very marrow.Yes, but they don't exactly mean manic. They mean there that 'there's no need to fear, so stop screwing up the economy with your silly individual notions of survival'. Whereas the shadow government is not saying that we should panic, but that the test we're going to carry out to see if we could cope with an outbreak should be bought forward from April. Of course, the government's not going to do this as this would cause panic.

But yeah, for the next couple of months I'm not going to be walking via the lake to the campus. Too many birds down there. Besides, I never liked swans anyway, they're vicious bastards. Especially the quiet ones. Damn mute swans.

Has there ever been a recorded instance of an organisation with power, authority or influence telling people that now is an appropriate time for panic?

Ignacy Mościcki, September 18th, 1939.

Ignacy Mościcki, September 18th, 1939.Well considering the Nazis invaded Poland on September 1st, it seems he perhaps a little late side with that statement. Ah well, better late than never.

Well considering the Nazis invaded Poland on September 1st, it seems he perhaps a little late side with that statement. Ah well, better late than never.

That was the day after he transfered authority to the Władysław Raczkiewicz for the polish government in exile.

Poland didn't fall in a day you know.

That was the day after he transfered authority to the Władysław Raczkiewicz for the polish government in exile.

Poland didn't fall in a day you know.Hey, I'm surprised that I even managed to remember that date and place the name. So I think I did quite well. so please excuse me for not knowing that power was handed over the day before. And besides, it may take more than 1 day to invade Poland, but seeing how quickly it fell *checks* by the 27th of the same month. I'd stil say the 18th was a bit late.

*does a little more checking* Oh, maybe the 18th makes sense.

"BBC: UK Government urges people not to panic!"

Excellent advice under all circumstances. The only thing panic accomplishes is to make people unable to function properly at the very times when they need to function at the highest levels of efficiency and intellect. Controlling your emotions becomes critical when facing danger, and it's almost always those who manage to do so who survive.

Trust me, I know about this to my very marrow.
Have you ever come up with better words of advice than "Don't panic! It's OK, I'm sure someone has a plan!" I'm guessing you have. :p

"Don't panic. The government has taken all appropiate measures. For example, I'll be leaving for Chile this evening."

He, that'd be funny. :)

Disease is inevitable, nature needs to purge its system somehow. We should just let it run its course. That doesn't mean don't try to prevent it, but don't cower in a bunker.

I keep seeing people saying things like, "You should worry about bird flu because birds CAN migrate all the way to North America." or "A pandemic will probably break out in some other country that isn't as developed," as though it matters where a pandemic starts...
And I think, "Are they missing the point?"

First, even if every migratory bird from the east came to the west over the Atlantic ocean, and spread the bird flu to Canadian, American, Mexican, and South American birds, that's not 'necessarily' spreading the pandemic to these countries... just giving our birds a chance to create the pandemic.
Second, it doesn't matter at all where the pandemic starts. Not one bit. IF it mutates (not 100% necessarily 'when') it's not going to remain locked into its country of origin... pandemic means it's going to hit the whole world. With our interconnectedness through daily flights all over the world, the flu could spread before we even know it's hit.

That being said, I agree with those who say there's no point in panicking. Sure, there's no cure for a potential human to human illness... many people are going to die if it happens, and hell, it could mutate in multiple areas of the world at different times, causing DIFFERENT pandemics. But really, that's so far out of our control that worrying about it is pointless. If it comes, it comes. Just try to help out the best you can, if it comes.