ChatterBank8 mins ago
Turkey for Summer Holiday - Bird Flu?
10 Answers
Well after pouring over holidays books for weeks we had eventually decided on Belerk in Turkey for our family summer holiday.
But now I have doubts on Turkey due to the reports of Bird Flu. Would it be reckless to take a 2 year old and 9 year old there?
Or am I just being sucked into the media hype?
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Unless you intend staying in a hotel with birds (esp chickens) in the next room, you should be ok.
Sorry if this seems a bit flippant, but the media has hyped this way up out of control.
All the cases so far of human transmission of the avian strain of the flu virus have been in people who have been living and/or working in close proximity to infected birds ( or to someone who has been working with infected birds).
Personally, it wouldn't put me off going (you might even be able to get a better deal!), but you need to make that choice for yourself.
HTH
Where exactly is Belerk? Google doesn't find anything sensible.
If it's on the Med coast remember Turkey is a big country and the cases have been at the opposite end near the Iran border - a thousand miles away - and have been among farm workers working with chickens or their families, as have all those in Asia.
You are just being sucked into the media hype.
Yes I think you should still go. Those at risk are people who are currently in direct contact with birds that have the infection, so currently the general population in any country of the world is at an extremely low risk. In addition you could book to go else where and frankly by the time you travel it could in in that country as well, or you could stay at home and it could pop up in the UK!
On average, ten people die and lots more are injured in road incidents every single day in Britain. vCJD has now claimed something of the order of 200 people in Britain. Refusing to step into a car or eating anything containing beef or its derivatives would be considered odd by most people. I suggest you stick with your holiday choice and only question it if you get there and things are not as promised.
I too have booked a holiday in belek in the summer with 2 young children and after watching the news this evening im am going to be ringing the travel agent first thing in the morning, even if the media is hyping it up it doesnt stop people from getting worried and its justified with children and after watching the news i can honestly say i dont fancy going at all.
<DIV>The best thing is to wait & see. If it does become a person to person infection then the foreign office will no doubt stop or advice against travel to he area. The next few weeks might give a better indication of what's going to devlop. I'm sure your holiday will still be available in a couple of weeks.
<DIV>
<DIV>This is bound to affect people's decision to book a holiday in Turkey.
there are confirmed cases near Ankara - not people, just ducks; but that is nearer the western end of the country - and one suspected case of a human in Kusadasi, which is a tourist resort town on the Aegean.
The risk seems pretty low; but even so I must say I'd wait a week or two before booking. Turkey's a lovely place, but there are less worrying countries you could go.
But the fact still remains that everyone that has been infected has been in CLOSE contact with diseased birds. By close, I mean-playing with the heads of diseased chickens (in the case of two children), playing with diseased bird carcases(in the case of another)or destroying infected chickens ( one woman who is currently alive but in hospital).
I would guess that this wouldn't be normal behaviour for holiday makers, so therefore there should be no risk. But at the end of the day only you can make the choice as to whether or not to travel
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