Bird Flu

Friday morning saw me flying down to Edinburgh for a meeting of the Environment Group of COSLA, on which I represent the Comhairle. This was a useful and very worthwhile meeting which included a briefing from the Scottish Veterinary Service on Bird Flu. The risks to humans appear low, but some very simple steps require to be taken to protect the country from an epidemic.

We were told of a previous outbreak in the UK in 1991. It rang vague bells in my mind, and I have tracked it down on a DEFRA site. That was a localised and not particularly severe case but we have been here before.