Ourdoor Safety-Rural

There are probably other permutations but this was getting overlong. Also
interested in procedure for going outdoors (what to wear/when to put it on)
and coming indoors (what sanitary protection...shower/change clothes) and
where to do it.
Should be interesting. Thanks. Rocky

Ok, want to laugh? I am training my dog to use the bathroom in a special plastic crate that is very cleanable with soap and water, that way I wont have to take her out so many times a day. Just dispose of her waste in the same manner as the rest of us.

I see this `Don't leave the house' mantra often, and frankly, I am mystified by it.

This is a flu virus we're talking about, not a Biohazard Level 4 pathogen like ebola.  It doesn't stay in the air, and drift over the countryside.  To contract it, you must come in contact with an infected surface (ie. bird droppings, door knob, shopping cart), or be within infectious range of someone who has it.

While there may be some other hazards encountered out of your home, if you are strictly worried about acquiring the virus, then the risks are minimal.  Notice, I didn't say zero, there is always a risk.

Precautions I would take venturing out on my own property are pretty simple.  All of this assumes a rural, or suburban locale.  Inner cities, where contact with people is more likely, are more problematic.

1. Remove shoes before entering the house. Spray soles with bleach solution.
2. Wash hands thoroughly upon return.  Use Hand sanitizer while outside after touching possibly infected surfaces.
3. Keep family pets on a leash.
4. Carry a sidearm  (don't leave home without it)
5. Carry a walkie-talkie and remain in contact with someone in the house.
6. Keep a minimum of 30 feet away from anyone who might be infected. Anyone obviously sickened, you might want to expand that safty perimeter.
7. I might consider wearing a N95 mask if in a suburban neighborhood where neighbors live close by.

One other precaution I would take is I would remove any bird feeders, bird baths from my property before infected birds are detected in your country.  Bird droppings from stray birds are enough of a hazard, no sense sending out invitations.

So far, the avian flu is extremely difficult to contract.  If it goes H2H, there is no reason to believe it will have any unusual infectious qualities beyond the regular flu, just a higher attack rate and higher mortality. 

While there may be other reasons not to venture out, in a rural setting, catching the flu from simply walking outside is not one of them.

My 2 cents. YMMV.

     When someone coughs or sneezes the virus doesn't stay in the air very long (hey, there's gravity) so if you're rural and there is no one to cough/sneeze on you when you're outdoors, you shouldn't need a mask. 

     The main issue would be touching an infected surface.  In the woods around my house, most surfaces are probably never going to be coughed/sneezed on/touched by an infected person right where Im going to touch it later.  I suppose the bird feces would still be a threat (all over my deck and car) so gloves might be handy-- or perhaps just a thorough wash or hand santizer after.

     If you tramp through bird droppings (like my front walk) it would be nice to dip your boots in a pan of disinfectant at the door. 

muskrat, now you know why I specified a 30 foot safety perimeter. 

Wouldn't think the cockateils would be a problem if kept inside the house.

I will be going outside. No problem. Live on 1 1/2 acres.
Will have vegetable garden. Also if power goes out. Rain barrels under downspouts for flushing toilets. Generator to run. Firewood to bring in from pile. Dogs to walk. Neighbors won't be a problem at least for a while. Plus they know how volatile I am so won't be a problem. Will have a side arm on me if neccessary. My close neighbors are planning to band together for support and protection. In the northwest it rains alot and that will keep everything free of to much flu germs. It should keep it out of the air too.

Deej, statues of lifelike large predatory birds seem to drive most birds away.  At least here in SoCal we use statues of owls on our rooftops to keep the birds from nesting there.

I live right on the Chesapeake Bay and it's not uncommon to see 100 or so geese in my back yard plus another several hundred in the Bay, also ducks, swans, osprey, etc., in the Bay (it's a regular bird convention out there every day), and then approximately 50 seagulls who sit on my dock (usually perched right on top of my plastic owl statues) all year round.  Oh, and I'm only a mile or so from a large bird sanctuary.  Needless to say, bird poop is an extreme worry for our household.  I'm not concerned about removing and disinfecting shoes after outdoor exposure, but as the bird mess sits out there it eventually dries out enough to be kicked up into the air (especially large goose droppings). 

So...we bought a BB gun with rubber and metal BBs (material affects range), in the hopes that we can scare wild birds away without actually hurting them.  I'm not sure how successful we'll be, but I do know my husband is having a great time trying it out.  The birds here are mostly territorial (i.e. regular visitors) so maybe we can train them away from our property.  If not, we'll think about letting the kids play wherever we have asphalt - but not near any grass.

Use rubber snakes, they scare the hell out of birds.

Concerning birds too close for comfort:

Loud noises will scare away birds.  Just ask any cat with a bell.  Get some firecrackers (ie. cherry bombs) that can be thrown or launced (very carefully-might need two people-forget I said this) with a slingshot.  Over time the birds will relocate. (hopefully) 

Your close neighbors will of course call the cops and you will have some explaining to do but we live in dangerous times.  One may want to start out with a simple blown up paper bag which will make quite a report when smacked soundly - and work up from there.

If your the kind of person that drives a Humvee and really wants to go to the end of the road with this thing - go to http://www.firequest.com (lots of neat stuff for road warriors) and order  an M-79 grenade launcher and some 37mm bird bombs.  I guanantee your problems will be over. (with the birds)  Of course now your neighbors will be calling the FBI as you are now operating a terrorist training camp. 

Edited by mightymouse

I live in a lake and it is full of ducks ,some of them have been living here for years and we even call them by names , I am an animal lover , I will try to scare them away first but I think this is not going to work , hope I wont have to take extreme mesures , but my dogs and my family are first!

Won't you need to disinfect your pets as well when you come back indoors?  What's safe to use on them as they lick themselves to clean their fur?

I think there’s a huge point being missed.

It’s not just the civil unrest, infected people, infected birds or fresh droppings, but the dried droppings as well. The virus lives for ages after the poop has dried. All it takes is breathing it or dragging it back into the house on shoes, clothes, purses, pets’ paws or fur, etc.

It will take a mask, goggles, clothing covers, shoe covers, head cover and gloves to keep it off of you – then all of that stuff will have to be removed before you come into your house.  Goggles can be disinfected – so can a half mask respirator, but regular N95 masks, clothing covers, shoe covers, gloves will all need to be thrown away each time.

Each time you go out there will be a chance that you will bring some of it back inside no matter how careful you are. I don’t think we can safely venture out to cook on a grill, walk pets, drive to work, pick up the mail – open windows, hang laundry.

Please tell me something to convince me that I’m wrong because I don’t think staying inside for months is going to be any fun.

 

AVIAN BIRD FLU INFECTION

There is a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds- for example by people inhaling dried feces that have become converted into dust. Clearly therefore if we encounter an outbreak of avian influenza people need to avoid any contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated with secretions or especially the dried excretions from such birds.

http://www.hotfoot.com/article-birdflu.html

 

Q: How do you catch it?

A: Typically like this: infected birds (normally chickens) shed the virus in their faeces, then humans breathe in dust from dried droppings. Many of those infected have been children, who have been playing near chickens, touched their droppings and then put their hands to their mouths. The virus will also be present in poultry meat, blood and eggs.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/travel/story/0,6903,1686444,00.html

 

People can catch the disease by being close to live infected birds and include any of the following types of contact:

• touching infected birds,
• being in contact with their saliva or fluids from their nose,
• being in contact with, or inhaling dried dust from their droppings.

Droppings can also contaminate dust, soil, water, feed, equipment, vehicles, clothing and shoes, which can cause the spread of avian flu.  The virus can also be carried on the feet and bodies of animals, which can cause the disease to spread. Another source can be live markets where birds are sold in crowded and sometimes unsanitary (unclean) conditions, so avoid visiting these if you are travelling in countries that have had an outbreak.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?printPage=1&articleId=1565

 

The virus is excreted, and people may inhale these germs as dust when the droppings dry out.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=365051&in_page_id=1774

 

 

 

 

 

Rocky, I suspect at this point in time nobody can tell you for sure, but your question reminded me of something the military is doing which might be helpful to you. The military hospitals in Iraq are all tents and they have created walkways out of canvas to go from one to another, almost like a tunnel. Since you are thinking of putting family in a tent, you probably have a location in mind. You could put up rods or something like that and buy a sufficient amount of tarps which you could put up when needed, ducktape them together. Should solve your problem.