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Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Member of the public
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Recovered Chinese Bird Flu Patient
You have been reading the different newspapers telling you about
bird flu, but you want the facts about the real risks. You think
people should be told the truth about Bird Flu and then be allowed
to make their own decision. You want to know if it is safe to eat
chicken and how likely it is that you could catch Bird Flu.
You were very lucky and your symptoms were treated
early and you survived. You worked in a slaughter
house where poultry were killed, gutted and plucked.
There have been some cases were Bird Flu has been transmitted
from human- to- human and if the virus changes so that this can
happen all the time, then it will be extremely dangerous.
You were given the antiviral drug, Tamilflu but the
doctors were unsure if it would work as some resistant
strains of the virus have formed.
More than half of humans infected by Bird Flu
actually die!
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Poultry Farmer
You only earn money through selling your chickens and
eggs to Farm Feds, (a local chicken factory.) You have
four children and a wife to support and you are the only
earner in the family. You are very worried that bird flu will
come to Northern Ireland and your 10,000 birds will have
to be killed, burned and your farm disinfected. It goes
beyond the government just giving money for losses
incurred. The appropriate thing to do is also to ensure
that we control the spread as a country.
Government/poultry farmers’ collaboration is vital!
You think more information is needed to help those
working with poultry so they can protect themselves.
You think that many people could be saved by a
vaccine.
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Infectious Disease Expert
All the fundamental events have happened for the
start of a pandemic except the move of the virus
from human-to-human transmission. Each new
human case gives the virus an opportunity to
change towards this. You are worried that if the
spread is not stopped the world will have a
pandemic on their hands and Northern Ireland will
not be prepared.
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Owner of a Chicken Factory
Your business is based solely on consumer habits and
the Bird Flu scare could make the public very
frightened of eating any chicken. This will seriously
affect your business and you are greatly concerned
with the information which will be given to public about
the outbreak.
You want the government to put in place measures
which ensure consumers are given accurate
information about the safety of the food they eat.
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Experienced Doctor
You worked in Vietnam in 2004 for 6 months
during the H5N1 outbreak. You are quite aware
of the dangers of this virus and you think that
Doctors in Northern Ireland are not prepared, as
decisions must be made based on the first
patient assessment on admission to hospital,
There is no time to wait 12 hours on lab results.
Peoples lives are in danger.
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Vet
You have been a vet in Donegal for 15 years working with
all types of farmers. You know that thousands of birds may
have to be killed or put into quarantine if bird flu comes to
Northern Ireland.
You think that, in order to stop the spread of the disease,
birds would need to be killed or vaccinated. Otherwise
more and more birds will become infected leaving more
chance for it being transmitted to other animals or to
humans.
Wild birds are carrying the disease without showing signs of
symptoms proving them to be very dangerous.
Challenge Biomedical
Science – Immunology
Pharmaceutical Company Owner
Your company produce the antiviral drugs which
could be used to fight a bird Flu epidemic. The
government have purchased 14.6million courses so
far and if a vaccine is developed once the strain has
been identified you will benefit greatly.