Press release from: The Bird Flu Hotsheet

"The US Centers For Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are underestimating the airborne dangers of the bird flu," says bio-warfare expert Jason Cain. "And if they fail to toughen their infection control guidelines many health care workers and first responders could fall victim to H5N1 avian flu during a pandemic," he charged.

Cain a former sergeant in the US Marine Corps, trained Marines in nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) warfare. And he says the true dangers of airborne transmission are frightening similar to a scene in the movie 'Outbreak', where a man infected with a fictional strain of Ebola virus sneezed in a movie theater.

"I think we all remember that scene, as the small aerosol droplets from the sneeze floated throughout the theater -- and eventually landed in someone's mouth," Cain said.

A sneeze can generate as many as 40,000 droplets, which can evaporate to particles in the 0.5 to 12 micron range. Particles that can stay aloft for long periods of time. In fact, particles that are a mere 10 microns in size can stay airborne for 17 minutes -- and are shown to cause more severe disease and require a smaller of virus to cause infection.

"The CDC is using some arbitrary '3 foot rule' in the guidance they are giving healthcare workers and facilities. And they are going to get people killed!" warned Cain. In studies, a cough has been shown to expel 6.7 mg of saliva at speeds of up to 22 meters per second. With saliva droplets being hurled further than 2 meters (6.56 feet).

Cain says that health care workers, first responders and hospital administrators contacted him for help, after reading his postings in online public forums that follow the emerging bird flu pandemic. As a retired police officer and trainer, Cain saw the need for a newsletter that cut through all the misinformation, so he created THE BIRD FLU HOTSHEET. See www.BidFluHotsheet.com

According to Cain, every healthcare worker and first responder needs to be issued a full-face respirator with a Class 100 filter. And he says we need to have laws making it mandatory that healthcare workers and first responders are provided a mask, fit testing and training by their employers.

"We need to hurry. We need protect those that will protect us. A pandemic may be unfolding before our very eyes," Cain said.

THE BIRD FLU HOTSHEET is a monthly newsletter providing critical and current information on the fight against the unfolding H5N1 avian influenza pandemic. For more information: www.BirdFluHotsheet.com