Government advisers have recommended the flu vaccination to pregnant women in their second and third trimesters if they are due to give birth in the flu season. Research has shown expecting women to be at a higher risk of infection and the benefits of vaccination are thought to outweigh the minimal risk of side effects.

Domesticated animals such as cats have been known to contract bird flu through consumption of infected poultry. However the avian flu virus is not a food-borne pathogen and consumption of chicken is not considered a main route of infection. Despite this it is recommended to cook chicken and eggs thoroughly to minimise the risk further.

No. research has shown that the influenza vaccine cannot induce the flu in vaccinated individuals. This is because the vaccine contains three inactivated strains of the virus which stimulate the immune system but are not virulent enough to cause illness. Vaccinated people who have experienced flu like symptoms shortly afterwards may be ill due to other popular viruses of the winter season such as the common cold rhinovirus.

Unfortunately the flu vaccine only contains a few popular viral strains of the flu season in any particular year. Therefore it is possible to become ill from another less common influenza virus that is not contained in the vaccine. However vaccination does reduce the probability of catching the flu.

Yes, actually bird flu has been detected in the UK since 1959, mainly in rural areas involved with poultry farming. Recently 2,600 turkeys were found infected with the H5N1 virus in a farm in Suffolk. Assessing the risk is difficult as currently minimal human to human transmission has been reported. However eventually the virus may mutate into a more human compatible form. In this case the risk would be quite serious. It is however important to put bird flu into focus with the myriad of other diseases and infections that we are frequently exposed to.

Humans are believed to have been subjected to viruses throughout our hominid ancestry. In fact, this relationship has enabled us to evolve into a stronger, more resistant species, ditching biological components that make us more susceptible along the way. Unfortunately for us this has involved catastrophic bottle neck events such as flu pandemics! As viruses survive by replicating inside living organisms and if permanent immunity cannot be developed, the evolutionary battle will be on going until one or the other eventually becomes extinct.

The government is preparing for the possibility of a flu pandemic and has already signed contracts with leading pharmaceutical companies to ensure we have enough vaccines and medication. Recently however it has been reported that currently the government holds only enough to treat 25% of the population. Plans to restrict travel and mass gatherings in classrooms and theaters are considered ineffective although overseas immigrants arriving into the country may be subjected to temporary quarantine.