Avian Flu: Social Issues
by Sydney Hessel, Annamaria Prati, Allyson Lewis, Gracie Brown, Kate Hawkins, Jessie Zhou
How do lifestyles play a role in the spread of avian flu and how can they be effectively changed?
Of the many problems regarding the lifestyles of people in the Asian countries most likely to be affected by an avian flu pandemic, the way in which human beings reside and interact in such close, unregulated quarters with birds and livestock is the most significant. The everyday lives of people in rural areas involves handling fowl, which could easily and quickly spread the flu virus to many people at once. Dependency on bird farming as means of earning income also poses a threat to how people would react to regulations or a change in the market. Would chicken farmers and other people follow regulations? How could the government best propose laws and change the lifestyles of these people without destroying businesses entirely?
The first question addresses an issue only solvable through the second. If the government were to propose laws that involved little or no effort or change on the part of the people, more humans would follow it. A balance must be achieved between the severity of the regulation and its effectiveness; government officials should enforce laws that require people to change their everyday actions only slightly for maximum effectiveness. What laws would allow little change, but still require more safe interaction?
The problem: people live and interact carelessly with fowl, which would result in faster transmission of the flu virus should a pandemic occur. Education, first of all, is the most effective and easy way to prevent a possible spread. Government official in different countries and the World Health Organization could appoint or train different people to teach others about the pandemic (how it spreads, what it is, what cautions people should take), and then send them to different areas, especially poorer countries, to educate people. Appointed officials could also meet with the leaders of these areas to make sure that these congregations were well publicized and attended, as well as to ensure that cautions and “safety rules” would be enforced even after departing. Open discussion between the leaders and the people would also result in more participation in the regulations for the specific area; discussing what should be done for a particular region is much more important and in theory more effective that discussing the problem in completely generalized terms. Directly contacting the people and explaining to them the dangers of the flu and prevention tactics, in addition to listening to the ideas of the people in the particular area, would be most efficient way to stop the spread of a pandemic.
How should government officials deal with chicken farmers and their lifestyles in regard to the flu?
The key to providing a solution for the farmers affected by the avian flu is to replace what they have lost with something of equal or greater value to them. Because what the farmers have lost is livestock, they should be recompensed with livestock. One of the previous problems seen with the livestock is the lack of diversity, making endemics such as H5N1 so devastating, and this opportunity should be taken to help the farmers prevent future outbreaks such as the avian flu. The farmers should be included in the process of what is of equal value to them, and by including them they would be more cooperative with the final solution. A suggestion we have is to give the farmers rabbits and goats. Rabbits are good because they are small, provide meat and fur, multiply quickly, and could live in a former chicken coop with minimum construction. Goats are also good animals for diversity because they will virtually eat anything, a helpful characteristic for poor communities, provide meat and milk, and do not require a lot of care. Both these animals could be instituted in communities very quickly, especially through organizations such as Heifer International. Although farmers will not be able to have thousands of animals as they were able to with foul, these animals would help diversify their livestock to prevent future devastating outbreaks and give the farmer a fair recompense for their loss. Education on sustainable farming and raising healthier animals could also be supplemented for long-term solutions, and could be done by volunteers, especially from Church communities in Europe and the United States.
Who should pay for these animals? Every year, the United States, Europe, and other wealthy superpowers give a certain amount of money for international aid. If the majority of just one country’s donation, such as the United States, was focused in giving these animals to the farmers and teaching them how to raise them, the program could be implemented quickly and without spending billions of dollars. These countries should be the ones to help because it is a way of protecting themselves from this flu and from any future endemic, and it is a supportive image for potential alliances with emerging political superpowers.
The Media
Situation:
Pop culture and news have been full of information and commentary on avian flu. Headlines about deaths and avian flu’s rapid spread are everywhere. Even comic strips inform people about avian flu while making jokes about it. The media has been both educating and panicking people about the flu. Even people who don’t read more in depth articles or scientific journals will know about the flu and how to protect themselves by reading the funnies section. However, many articles and cultural information pieces have distressing headlines and shocking first sentences, but go on to report recycled information that doesn’t relate to the title.
Solution:
The right to free press is a very important one, so it’s hard to know how to solve the media’s involvement in avian flu. When the media does its job, getting important news out to the general public helps stop the spread of avian flu, it educates and informs the world about risks and prevention methods for the illness.
The CDC’s Traveler’s Health website is part of the solution; it has complete information for people traveling to places where avian flu exists. More websites, pamphlets, and articles circulated by the media can help limit avian flu’s spread regarding speed and distance. Countries other than just the United States need information. The media needs to provide correct, unexaggerated news on what has happened with avian flu and how to keep people and poultry healthy.
While the media has done an exceptional job of letting people know the basics about avian flu, many misconceptions need to be cleared up so as not to cause social and economic problems. Both tourism and livelihoods have been and could be affected more by irresponsible journalism. Several groups are working to combat this. The WTO met with the World Health Organization to talk about avian flu’s effects on tourism. They issued a statement asking the media to refrain from “unnecessary scaremongering” which can hurt the economies of places already negatively affected by the flu’s impact on indigenous livelihoods. Many people in Asia, where avian flu originated, and around the world, rely on poultry farming to survive. If people stop buying chickens everywhere because of an outbreak, the people who rely on this business will lose their jobs. The media has a powerful effect on how people live and it should be encouraged to use this to help fight avian flu, not scare people into making the situation worse.
The media has every right to print what they want, but the WTO has issued a report suggesting that they stick to facts and refrain from exaggerating and causing panic. One article is a perfect example of this; it screams serious epidemic, but the only new info in it was that a single infected duck was found in Canada.
Travel/Tourism
Situation:
Avian flu has not spread to America in any form and avian flu in people has not left Asia. International travel, however, could make the situation much worse, very fast. One infected person or bird in a plane, boat, or car could spread avian flu. Efforts are being made currently in Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau airports on the Chinese mainland to stop the flu from entering. Temperature screening is being reactivated to stop infected passengers from entering. Many places rely on tourism for income; last year 622 billion dollars were spent on international tourism. Places already hurt by the loss of chicken farming could be worsened by the loss of tourism, which for some countries is a major source of national income.
WHAT IS TEMP SCREENING?
Solution:
Though already a serious epidemic for birds, avian flu is not yet a large problem for people. We must have a solution that keeps the virus contained while not hurting the travel economy any more than necessary. Temperature screening is a good start, but education would be the most effective solution.
Bibliography
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