Just before you develop into overly concerned about “bird flu,” you can find a number of very important facts it is advisable to know about this illness.

“Bird flu” is just not exactly the same factor as human pandemic flu. “Bird flu”-H5N1 highly pathogenic Asian avian influenza-is a severe disease of birds. All the people today known to have gotten it had close get in touch with with infected birds, mainly in rural villages in Asia. Exactly where there is no close contact with infected birds, there’s no human disease.

Significantly more good news: The food provide is protected. The poultry market and the U.S. government take Asian avian influenza rather seriously given that it can threaten commercial poultry. It’s spread by migratory birds, so the federal government monitors wild birds in places exactly where there could possibly be contact with Asian birds.

Additionally, security on poultry farms is highly tight. Poultry are kept away from wild birds. Strict procedures keep the virus from becoming tracked into the birds’ living space. Poultry farmers’ number one priority is usually to protect their flocks.

The market and state governments sponsor extensive testing programs to watch for any signs of Asian avian influenza. Below the National Chicken Council’s plan, which nearly all chicken organisations follow, every single flock is tested. Any poultry flock discovered to become infected with Asian avian influenza could be destroyed on the farm and would not enter the food supply.

You can also really feel confident about your chicken or turkey dinners. According to the U.S. Centers for Illness Manage and Prevention (CDC), you cannot get “bird flu” from effectively handled and cooked food. Just be sure to follow the directions already printed on each and every package of fresh meat and poultry sold inside the United States. The instructions are exactly the same as they’ve always been-nothing unique is necessary. On the remote likelihood that an infected bird got into the food supply, it wouldn’t affect consumers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This really is more than enough to destroy any flu viruses that may well be present.

“American customers do not need to be concerned about obtaining the avian flu virus from consuming poultry,” says Dr. Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. “We know that should you effectively cook poultry, it’s secure.”