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Bird Flu - Archives
Travel Advice
Business Travel and Bird Flu
You're going to want to wash your hands after reading this, warns USA
Today business travel columnist David Grossman at the start of a lengthy
report, titled "What
business travelers should know about avian flu."
Here's some of what he advises:
Develop a plan for each individual traveler and each business...
Work closely/share information with other departments like Human
Resources, Safety and Security.
Ask airline, hotel, car rental, and travel agencies for a copy of their
pandemic plans; make this a condition of your contract.
Implement system to track location and communicate with travelers at all
times.
When traveling abroad avoid live poultry markets.
Monitor websites for updated information...
Get involved with national and local business travel organizations...that
could issue guidelines and recommendations.
Get vaccinations when available.
Get a pneumonia shot.
Stock antiviral drugs like Tamiflu.
Develop a relationship with companies like iJet which provide information
on conditions in locales all over the world, and companies like
International SOS that can help evacuate employees or obtain medical
assistance on your behalf in an emergency situation.
Stock preventative items like NIOSH-Approved N95 Disposable Particulate
Respirators that block out 95% of all viruses.
Teach employees and practice personal hygiene: Wash hands frequently
especially after shaking hands. Wash hands after touching any surface that
might have been touched previously by another person who might be infected.
Keep your hands away from your mouth, nose, and eyes at all times.
June 13th, 2006
Bird Flu
Alert - Travel Advisory
The
Observer newspaper carries an excellent summary of precautions that are
recommended for
international travelers, to guard against bird flu. A couple of
excerpts:
Q:
What are the symptoms?
A:
Fever, cough, sore
throat and trouble breathing. The CDC [the
American government's Center for Disease Control and Prevention]
advises checking for
these symptoms for 10 days after you return from an affected country.
Q:
Should we take
special medical kit?
A:
As with most
infectious disease, hand washing is one of the most important preventative
measures. The US CDC recommends you take a bottle of alcohol handwash so you
can clean your hands even when not near soap and water.
January 16th,
2006
Bird Flu
Travel Advice
Some useful
travel advice is at the
TravelVideo
website. In summary, it says:
At this
time, avian influenza activity continues to persist in Thailand, Vietnam,
Indonesia, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey, Romania and Croatia.
In fowl, past outbreaks have been reported in Thailand, the Peoples
Republic of China, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Democratic Peoples Republic of
Korea (North Korea), South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Laos, Russia, and
Kazakhstan.
Human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) have been reported in China,
Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Most human cases have been
caused by direct contact with infected fowl. Human-to-human transmission,
although rare, is suspected to have occurred in some of the documented
cases.
November
19th, 2005
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