MemorialCare Medical Centers Your Health: Bird Flu

How will I know if the bird flu becomes a problem here?
If cases of the bird flu are found in the U.S., health departments will provide information about what people should do to protect their health. In Orange County, the Health Care Agency will put information on the Internet at www.ochealthinfo.com. And the media– newspapers, radio, television, etc. – will provide information. Community organizations and schools might also make information.

If I travel to Asia, how can I protect myself from the bird flu?
Before you travel outside the U.S., get health information from the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/travel. While you are traveling, do not touch poultry (e.g. chickens or ducks), and do not go to poultry farms or markets where birds are kept. Remember to wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, hand gels that contain alcohol can help kill germs. If you eat foods containing chicken, duck or other poultry, make sure they are completely cooked.

When you return home, monitor your health for at least 10 days. If you get sick with a fever and cough, sore throat or trouble breathing, call your doctor or clinic. Before you visit the doctor’s office, make sure they know where you have traveled and tell them if you were near poultry or in close contact with people who were sick. Your doctor’s office needs to know if you have been in a country where bird flu has been found.