Most say US isn‘t ready for disaster
Tech hurdle for bird flu vaccine
Indonesia - the epicentre of bird flu fears
If flu pandemic hits, California likely first, so county prepares
S. Africa to cull water fowl to prevent bird flu
Bird flu drill to test national readiness
COMMENTARY - Bird Flu Ethics By Karen Ward, RN
Ignorance hampers Indonesia's bird flu fight
Database urged to share bird flu data
Bird Flu Sweeps Across Indonesia
World Bank Says Bird Flu Threatens Indonesian Economy (Update2)
Vietnam, Laos to cooperate on human bird flu prevention
Bird flu: the danger is far from over
Indonesia faces 170 million loss due to bird flu
ABU to distribute Jackie Chan bird flu PSA
FACTBOX-Bird flu's spread around the globe
Oregon's Government & Business Leaders Plan For Influenza Pandemic
Experts praise NZ's readiness for influenza pandemic
Expert: Massive Flu Pandemic Is Imminent
HONG KONG: Asia not ready for pandemic, says report
Canadian companies concerned about - but not prepared for ...
Pandemic Flu Kits
Pandemic Planning Seminar - Is your business ready?
Plans for Pandemic Inspire Idealism

113 suspected with bird flu
No fresh outbreak of bird flu: Pawar
In Vietnam, a Gateway for the Bird Flu Virus
Funds, manpower urgent to tackle possible bird flu pandemic
Avian flu outbreak in US could lead to quarantines; Bush advocates
Japanese researchers to use monkeys for bird flu tests
RI sleuths go door-to-door sniffing out bird flu
Bird flu reported outbreak in Laos
Companies planning for an avian flu pandemic, but how well?
Drug Maker Touts Tests on Bird Flu Vaccine
Lawrence Broxmeyer, MD: What really was behind The Pandemic of
Lions Home shares flu pandemic plan
DHS urges urgent pandemic preparation
U.S. private businesses need to begin preparing immediately for deadly pandemics and other potential disasters, a DHS official said Tuesday. "There will be a period of time when life will not be normal," she said according to a National Journal Technology Daily report.
Handling of bird flu pandemic mustn't mimic Katrina debacle
Singapore drills in preparation for a bird flu pandemic
Deadly "Pandemic" hits Hallmark
Private clinics prepare for surge in patients when flu pandemic
Nursing homes prepare contingency plans for flu pandemic
Sun, Hello keep pandemic-hit firms running
Healthcare staff not prepared for flu pandemic (press release)
India to receive bird flu-free status
Flu swabs give ducks a foul day
Over 100 Thai May Have Bird Flu
Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Fears Romania's Bird Flu
Portsmouth sailor fights bird flu
Low-dose Glaxo bird flu vaccine seen ready in 2007
FACTBOX-Bird flu's spread around the globe
S.Africa culls 8,000 ostriches to control bird flu
School district ponders an outbreak of bird flu

Gaps in bird flu plan leave US vulnerable-senators
No big surprise here
Super computer tackles bird flu
Day 2 of Flu Pandemic Drill to test Singapore's readiness
Sea checkpoints ready to handle pandemic flu cases
Bird flu deaths in Indonesia rise to 42
China kills 400,000 chickens in latest bird flu outbreak
Bird Flu in Bulgaria is probably not H5N1
FDA names director for pandemic preparedness
Bird deaths 'will be avian flu'
Nigeria: El-Rufai Compensates Bird Flu Victims
Seasonal colds raise bird flu fears
Recent reports of hundreds of dead birds and scores of sick people in Central Plains provinces have alarmed health and agriculture officials on the lookout for bird flu. Although doctors from the Health Ministry say the illnesses are not due to the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus, agriculture ministry officials say people are getting lax in reporting sick animals, which could lead to an outbreak.
HHS adds Relenza to state stockpile program
Panel moves bill to deal with pandemic, health disasters
Rotorua businesses not prepared for pandemic
S'pore suits up for pandemic flu drill
Healthcare staff not prepared for flu pandemic
"Nearly half of health workers surveyed would not go to work during an influenza pandemic."
Preparing businesses for a pandemic
Most companies are planning for Avian Flu pandemic
Bird flu pandemic could claim $800bln in first year alone – WHO
Australian businesses get pandemic business continuity guide
Work on Pandemic Flu Vaccines Must Start Now, WHO Report Says
Bird flu strategy for natives still up in the air
India Hopes to Become Free of Bird Flu Soon
Businesses & Bird Flu
Protect against bird flu
Avian influenza is set to become endemic in Britain's wild bird population within 18 months, claim researchers who forecast the devastation of the free-range and organic sectors unless the government agrees a preventative vaccination plan for poultry.
Bird Flu Planning Isn't for the Birds
States hesitant to buy bird flu drugs
Governors Produce State Bird Flu Guides
Get powers ready for bird flu, US governors told
States unprepared for bird flu, govs say

Download the pdf guide here:
Preparing for a Pandemic Influenza: A Primer for Governors and Senior State Officials

Government says another Indonesian tests positive for bird flu
India develops indigenous bird flu vaccine
Indonesia Reports 42nd Human Bird Flu Death
Pandemic preparedness
"Consider this scenario," Stephen said. "You own a medium-size business, one with 50 or 60 employees. Suddenly, because of the flu, 30 to 40 percent of your staff are either sick or caring for sick relatives. The same thing is happening to your vendors and suppliers, across the country, the world. You need a continuity of operations plan or you lose."
Bird flu vaccine
G8 backs Russia's proposal on center to control bird flu
Bird flu vaccine for humans to be ready in Russia by September
No Signs of Bird Flu in Smuggled Poultry
Work on Pandemic Flu Vaccines Must Start Now, WHO Report Says
Bird flu carries worse threat than terrorists
Belgium to test bird flu pandemic readiness
Thailand will host the first international rapid response training
Preparing For Influenza Pandemic: It's Not If, But When
Companies stock up on bird flu drug
HHS Announces Additional $225 Million for State and Local Pandemic
Feds plan telework in pandemic crisis
"The policy is intended to allow agencies to continue functioning while promoting "social distancing" to protect employees from the virus, according to Monday's document, the report said."
As if government agencies function well now. While they may be able to use their computers from home, if the networks hold up under increased traffic, how are phone systems going to function? Are you going to have to call someone who is practicing social distancing at their home? For all practical purposes the government will shut down.
In pandemic, homes could become 'safe havens' for work
IT's pandemic plan: Don't panic
Pandemic requires more than warning
Beware the pandemic of hysteria
SPECIAL REPORT Preparing your business for a flu pandemic
Pandemic would hit students hardest
Companies Planning for an Avian Flu Pandemic, but Outcomes
Treat pandemic preparations like buying auto insurance
London prepares for flu pandemic
Some states jump at chance for federal pandemic funds
Hawaii applies for full allotment of pandemic vaccine
Code red! Be ready if a pandemic strikes
Where do Flu Pandemic Projected Numbers come from?
Chicken sole bird flu source: Expert
Bird flu draws local scientists to Arctic shore
Spaniards urged to maintain bird flu vigilance
Multiple mutations in Indonesian bird flu strain
"One of the mutations confers resistance to the antiviral drug amantadine, a fact not mentioned in the WHO statement," the journal said.
As I said before, the fact that the virus did mutate, means it is capable of doing it again, perhaps next time on a much more wide scale.
NYC unveils flu pandemic strategy
EU says cash now flowing from bird flu aid pledge
Goose Parts From Bird Flu-Ridden China Lost in US
Special bird flu watch in seven at-risk provinces
Bird Flu Touches Europe's West Coast, Wild Bird Dead in Spain
Fresh calls for data sharing after bird flu mutations
World Bank outlines economic effects of bird flu
In most economies the impact has been relatively limited so far, mainly because the poultry sector is a relatively small part of the world economy, stated Milan Brahmbhatt, the bank's lead economist for East Asia.

There are direct production costs because of losses of poultry, due to the disease and to control measures such as culling birds, with impacts extending not only to farmers but also to upstream and downstream sectors such as poultry traders, feed mills, and breeding farms.

Some Vietnamese localities negligent in bird flu vaccination
Three kinds of bird flu in Nigeria - study
Doctors find infection in brain of bird flu cluster survivor
Big business gears up for bird flu blitz
Bangladesh centre plans lab to detect bird flu
Patterns in bird flu cases remain mystery

Concerns Over Nigeria's Bird Flu Recurrence

FACTBOX-Bird flu's spread around the globe
CHRONOLOGY-Bird flu developments
Spain reports first case of lethal bird flu virus
Flu pandemic 'is inevitable'
Bird flu claims 3-year-old girl
Oklahoma To Stockpile Anti-Viral Drugs Over Fears Of Pandemic
Many states stockpiling flu pandemic drugs
Survey sheds light on bird flu fears
Shenzhen removes emergency warning against human bird flu
WHO reports bird flu virus mutation in Indonesia
IT's pandemic plan: The all-hazards approach
No risk of bird flu in Pakistan: Sherpao
Nigeria: Where did bird flu come from?
Kingdom 'beating bird flu'
UK's Bird Flu Risk May Increase From Next Month
We will probably see new waves of bird flu starting in the fall as migratory birds start to move again.
WHO: H5N1 Bird Flu Infection In Humans May Rise Late 2006
Questions raised over bird flu plans
IBM Services Unit Helps Clients Be Prepared If Bird Flu Strikes
Agreement for Joint Trials of Avian Flu Vac cine on Humans
Nigerian govt pays $6 000 to farmers over bird flu
Alaska puts in early order for bird flu medicines
State targets non-English speakers for bird flu readiness
WHO puts Thais on alert against influenza and bird flu
Mozambique wary of bird flu
Egypt denies more deaths from bird flu
CANADA: Winnipeg lab can't verify bird flu virus
Beating Bird Flu
Getting ready for the worst

Is Your Employer Prepared For A Bird Flu Pandemic?
Bigger companies more prepared for flu pandemic

As more businesses become aware of a potential bird flu pandemic, many smaller companies have no plan in effect and are maintaining a wait and see attitude. Your business or company may have anywhere from 30-60% of the employees out sick, or out to take care of ill family members.

A bird flu pandemic could last for weeks or months at a time. You may be out of work for several months. You may want to start taking some measures now so you are prepared for being out of work and loss of income.

You need to ask your employer how they will be handling a pandemic crisis. What will their policies be? How are they going to provide a healthy work environment so that it will minimize the spread of the flu? How is your health insurance? Does it need to be updated? Will they offer additional sick time or paid leave of absence? Can you get a wage or salary advance or partial advance? Who will fill in for you, if you are out sick or need to stay home with family members who are ill? Are your co-workers crossed trained? What happens if you need to stay home with your children because schools are closed? Can your business run with 50% of employees out sick? What happens if the business needs to shut down completely? How do they plan on communicating with employees who are at home? Are there options for working at home? What if you need to leave the area to go somewhere safer? Will you have a job when you return? These are the type of questions you need to start asking today before a bird flu pandemic.

You will want to make copies of your employment agreements, health and life insurance policies and other employee documents including investment plans, stock options and other benefits. If we enter a pandemic and you need to stay home and be out of work for several months, you may want to consider tapping into any investment plans to find available cash to carry you through. A global influenza pandemic will have catastrophic consequences worldwide that will affect your business, career, investments, home, family and community. Stay informed about the bird flu and start planning for a possible pandemic.