susan l Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Has anyone been to get a flu jab because they've got chickens? My MIL mentioned that she had seen a poster at her surgery advising people in close contact with poultry to get one. the nhs direct website says that anyone WORKING with poultry is entitled for a free jab, so obviously that wouldn't really apply (2 pets is hardly work!). Am I being a bit scare-mongered? or should I do the sensible thing and get meself stuck with a horrible needle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 That's a new one on me, and I can't see any logic in it at all . I keep chickens and work as a Practice Nurse (in SE London as a matter of fact ) and have given hundreds of flu injections over the past few months............. and I've never heard that as a criteria. And we do have to work to strict criteria, to get a flu injection on the NHS this year you had to be over 65, or have a serious chronic illness, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, severe asthma, COPD and a few others that I forget right now. Carers and Health Care Professionals could get them.......... but not chicken keepers in ANY of the literature I've read. Oh, and I didn't bother to get one There has been some hysteria about avian influenza (although nowhere near as bad as last year) but IF avian influenza does arrive it'll be a whole new strain, and the current flu vaccines would be ineffective, hence the pandemic worries. Flu vaccines change every year, thus the annual injections, to reflect the prevailing/ predicted strains of circulating flu. There is work going on to prepare a flu vaccine that they hope will be effective against avian influenza, but until the actual disease strain emerges there's only so much that they can do. Oh, and of course we're right at the tail end of the flu season. We start giving them in October and as true flu is a winter problem only we don't give them much after Christmas, I'm still giving a very limited number to those who missed out before Christmas, but literally only 1-2 a week now. Thank goodness I'm more than happy to be corrected if anyone has any new information on this, but it sounds very odd to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 First I've heard about this susan I would imagine it would really apply to those who have a fair few or who work with them - IF it's correct. I shouldn't think a couple in the back garden would really make a difference. I'd be interested to find out though - although I won't be going for a flu jab. Somebody will be along to enlighten us I'm sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Same as Kate A. We've been giving them since October, never heard any mention of them being given for chicken keepers! And it wouldn't work against avian influnza as it's a different strain! And I certainly wouldn't bother getting a flu jab at this time of year (obviously unless you are in a high risk category). Maybe the surgery has some surplus stock they want to get rid of?? Have just checked NHS direct and it says you should have the vaccine if you: work in close contact with poultry - for example, working in areas where poultry are kept for rearing or egg production, handling or catching live poultry, sorting eggs in poultry houses, or slaughtering and cleaning poultry. Am very surprised! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 my husband is a live chicken catcher and my sister works with baby chicks. They have both been offered the flu jabs this week coincidently, via their employer. hubby brought home loads of paperwork on monday about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 The year I had a flu jab I had 3 really bad chest infections, (Am asthmatic) and it took me ages to recover. In fact I was ill all that winter. I normally have 1 chest infection per winter without the flu jab. Am pondering now because of the chickens. Am struggling to see what protection the human flu vaccine can give us against avian flu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 it says on the paperwork my hubby has "this is not for protection against avian flu" He doesnt have to have it either, its his choice,...and as he works with poultry all day surely if there was a problem with avian flu then they would make him have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I really can't figure out why someone who works with chickens would be at increased risk? Off to ask the question of some colleagues - will let you know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I assume it is because they were saying that the only way that Avian Flu could mutate and cross over to humans is if a person with Human flu was in very close contact with a bird which had Avian flu, at the same time. If the poultry workers have a lesser risk of contracting flu in the first place than there is less risk of the crossover. A lot of coincidentals all having to occur at the same time though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 That is right Lesley the fear about Aviuan Flu is that it will mutate into something that can go human to human and it can only do this if there is human flu DNA for it to exchange with its own So far the people who have caught AI have either died of recovered there is no human to human cases reported the flu jab will be to ensure in the event of a UK outbreak of AI there is little risk of someone in contact with an infected bird actually having the Flu does this make sense Off to do some work now so will be back in a couple of hours if this is complete mince Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Well, it makes sense to me Louise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 There appear to be 2 reasons: First is as said above, trying to prevent the mixing of the 2 strains which could encourage AI to mutate into human flu: 'The intermingling of avian with human influenza may be the source of the novel strain that becomes epidemic. Preventing workers from bringing these agents together is a good thing' Secondly to prevent confusion in the event of poultry workers experiencing a normal flu outbreak that could be mistaken for AI 'An outbreak of influenza among workers with extensive poultry contact should be recognized as a potential pandemic event... so preventing them from manifesting this situation by vaccinating them again the human strain can prevent a false alarm, and permit an appropriate antiviral public health response if mass illness occurs.' From: International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health. 12(3), Jul/Sep 2006 Hope this is useful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susan l Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 wow, thanks for all the very informed replies! I had a feeling it probably didn't apply to me, so am going to disregard it! But really, once again, thank you for the replies and the research people did on this, very reassuring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I'm glad you asked the question! We do flu vaccines for various occupations where I work, but none of my colleagues had heard of this! (Not that we have any poultry workers at present anyway, but we do get new companies joining us all the time). It was good exercise for the brain cells too, so thanks for posting it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
