Bird Flu – Facts
Avian flu or the H5N1 virus that causes it has been known for a long time and is one of the nastiest types of viruses around. They are a rare form of virus that exists in birds but have a nasty ability to jump species and mutating as needed to adapt to a new host. The disease has claimed hundreds of lives(not counting the ones that go undocumented) and total cure still has to be developed or some wonder vaccine that would eradicate it at its source, the birds. The fact that some species of birds migrate makes tracking and monitoring ever so difficult but vaccines are now available to battle the several variants of the disease, the problem is getting it in enough quantities to inoculate everybody and guess what the next question is, cost!
Experts suggest a cheap alternative if the vaccine is out of reach, the lowly face mask!