Reply #5: In the US an civilized countries, avian influenza is taken VERY seriously

[kestrel91316]

because of the severe economic damage it does to poultry farmers. If they find it in a flock, the entire flock and any birds that have had contact with that flock are DESTROYED. Period. It is highly contagious among birds and causes them to grow poorly (wastes feed dollars) so it has to be kept out. So the mechanism is already in place to control it in birds. We have strains of avian flu OTHER THAN H5N1 in the US and other developed countries. The goal is to keep H5N1 OUT.

But if H5N1 mutates prior to entry, then it's the people who will bring it in. THAT is the weak link. We have quarantine and inspection for imported birds. We have no such thing for "imported" people.