A survey announced by the University of Hong Kong here Thursday showed that Hong Kong people lack knowledge about the correct means of protection from bird flu.

With the aim to understand Hong Kong people's practices and attitudes regarding live animal markets and associated perceptions of risk, the university's Hong Kong Community Practices and Opinions Departments of Community Medicine and Unit for Behavioral Science and Nursing Studies surveyed 986 citizens aged between 18 and 98 years old between mid-February and mid-March 2004, as bird flu ravaged South East Asia.

It showed that the average household buys one live chicken every three weeks. Twelve percent of the 78 percent who buy chickens touched the bird before buying, representing 3.48 million person-live chicken contacts each year, as reckoned by researchers. Each represents an opportunity for infection to be transmitted from live chickens to people.

The survey also showed that there was significant population misunderstanding about the means of protection from bird flu. While 99 percent of respondents felt responsible for protecting themselves from bird flu, 50 percent of people interviewed admitted they "don't understand how bird flu is caused"; Eighty-nine percent of respondents incorrectly believed that "cooking food thoroughly is the best protection against bird flu."

According to the university, bird flu and other respiratory viral diseases are transmitted mainly by inhalation of infectious particles, such as feather dust and aerosol droplets, or hand-mouth infection after physical contact with live birds, their droppings and feathers. Therefore, cooking and household cleanliness alone will not protect against bird flu.

Eight-four percent of the respondents said they were not prepared to risk their health in order to continue buying live chickens, and 86 percent perceived the need to change their food habits in order to protect health.

In regard to the result, the university suggested that the government should reinforce public education for differentiating protection from bacterial and viral diseases.

Source:Xinhua