Poultry farmers should be targeted first in the prevention of bird flu, Jia Youling, chief farming expert at the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture said in an exclusive interview by Xinhua News Agency.

Following are protective measures that should be taken:

Avoid domestic fowl from making contact with wild birds; set the location of poultry farms far away from river courses and lakes where waterfowl and wild birds perch; don’t rear ducks or geese near chicken farms; working staff in poultry farms had better not raise domestic fowl or caged birds; adopt an enclosed raising manner in a bid to strictly prevent wild birds from entering poultry cages; prevent water sources and feed being polluted by the excrement of wild fowls.

Sterilizing facilities should be set up in production zones in poultry farms, aimed to wash and sterilize entry-exit vehicles; poultry staff should change their clothes, hats and shoes or boots, and shower, before entering production zones; kill destructive insects regularly, such as ants and flies as well as rats; dead fowl must be burned or deeply buried.

Additionally, in respect of bird flu prevention associated with the outdoor chicken farming, Jia said that poultry staff should avoid going from house to house, and rear chickens in enclosed areas and sterilize chicken coops.

(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting and Daragh Moller, February 4, 2004)