Prepare, don’t panic about bird flu
Some questions and answers to help clear up confusion

Q: How is a pandemic different from regular winter flu?

A: A pandemic occurs when a strain of the influenza virus emerges that is very different from the usual flu strains that circulate every winter. Even healthy people won’t have any residual immunity. There were three pandemics in the last century.

Q: Will a pandemic strike this winter?

A: Most experts say it’s not likely, but there’s no way to tell.

Q: Will the bird flu cause the next pandemic?

A: Possibly, but only if it evolves so that it can start spreading easily from person to person. This H5N1 strain has killed at least 62 people in Asia; most were infected by close contact with sick birds or their droppings. This bird flu has not been found in people or birds in the USA.

Learn more about the Bird Flu and learn more about how to protect your health while traveling internationally.