Dr. Offit: Bird Flu ‘Has Never Been a Pandemic,’ But We Should Be Ready

RUSH EXCERPT:

OFFIT: "It‘s possible. But this virus has never been a pandemic. Influenza viruses have been with us since the mid-1300s. And other than the h1, h2, and h3 viruses, those are the only ones that can bind to and reproduce in the nose, throat, and windpipe. H5 viruses have never been able to do that. Could it mutate to that? Yes. Should we be ready for that? Yes. But to date, it hasn‘t happened. So what you need to look for is when they isolate these viruses, there should be clear evidence that it can bind to these cells in the upper respiratory tract. And more importantly, that there‘s one example of human-to-human spread which we don‘t have yet."