You said...
"Wake up people - it has to hit birds first........the first line of defense against this going H2H is the commercial poultry industry. "
I am not sure that is accurate, Gabz. The virus in birds affects only birds, as long as we are not in close contact with an infected bird. What happens is that the virus somehow mutates into a form that will be easily spread from human to human, either in another animal, like pigs... or will do something on it's own in a human who has been in contact with birds that make it go from human to human.
The large poultry farms are usually under cover, protected from wild birds, which carry the virus. But, if one human brings it in, say, on their shoes, the whole building of birds will die pretty fast...
Which is why I was very specific in saying it is the COMMERCIAL poultry industry that is going to be the first line of defense in the US against the mutations.
If someone brings it into one of those houses on their shoes, you are right the whole building of birds will die fast - because they will be destroyed. As will any bird in any other house on that property.
My best friend's husband manages 17 of those house, the smallest 5 of which are diagonally across the road from me. I know how picky they are about who goes in and out of those house and how they do it.
My husband's company services computers for Perdue, he despises having to go to the hatchery because of all the disinfecting he has to go through....including his vehicle as it enters and leaves the premises.
Avian Influenza is not taken lightly by the poultry industry.......the 2004 outbreak on DelMarVa caused the Destruction of 3 flocks in Delaware and Maryland and was traced back to a live market in NYC.