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HHS Secretary Prepares for Arrival of Bird Flu

By Joyce Kryszak

Buffalo, NY – With spring finally here, bird migration also has returned. And that has many people concerned about the possible spread of the deadly avian H-5-N-1 virus.

Virtually every day, the news is filled with bits of information about the dreaded avian flu. New cases in birds and poultry are occuring more frequently in parts of eastern Asia and other countries. And most health experts say its a matter of time before the bird flu spreads to the Unites States -- and possibly begins to mutate to humans.

US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt was in Buffalo last week. He says if the flu shows up in neighboring Canada, it will spread here too.

"We'll have a system established where people enter the country so that we'll be able to screen," Leavitt said. "But the likelihood of us being able to stop it at the border is very low. We have to be prepared. If this happens anywhere in the world, there's danger everywhere."

Leavitt says the Unites States is taking whatever precautions it can. But no pandemic vaccine is yet available to protect humans. So, Leavitt says if the virus comes, it could spread very quickly. And, Leavitt says government efforts to contain the disease by means of quarantine would also be limited.

"I don't think we'll see the law used to do that," Leavitt said. "I do think you'll see communities, if this was to happen, that will take action. Schools may be closed for a period of time. Public meetings may be limited. People will intuitively know what to do. They're not going to want to be exposed. So, we'll do our best to give them information."

And if you'd like to find out more right now, about bird flu and what's being done to prepare for a possible pandemic, the HHS has a web site -- www.pandemicflu.gov.