"However, if you are forced to come in contact, wash your hands immediately with soap/disinfectant. Before washing your hands, do not touch your face and eyes," a member of PDPI, Dr. Erlina Burhan, advised at a webinar on precautions against bird flu in Jakarta on Friday.
She also urged people to always wear gloves when cleaning poultry cages.
"In addition, use gloves and masks when processing and cooking poultry," Burhan said.
She said that people can continue to eat chicken and eggs as long as they have been thoroughly cooked.
"People can continue to consume chicken and eggs and other poultry products as long as they are thoroughly cooked, moreover, poultry products are good animal proteins for preventing stunting," she added.
She said that the bird flu virus cannot survive at temperatures above 59 degrees Celsius. Thus, people need to apply proper cooking methods and process poultry until it is cooked.
"Do not be afraid to buy and eat poultry products. As long as they are cooked thoroughly they are safe for consumption," Burhan disclosed.
She also advised people to immediately see a doctor if they feel unwell, experience a fever, and have other influenza symptoms, especially after contact with infected poultry in the previous 10 days.
All parties must play an active role in preventing the spread of bird flu, she added.
According to her, people need to be alert against bird flu, but not panic because, until now, cases of the infectious disease among poultry are still under control.
"Once again I emphasize, we may be vigilant but do not panic because there is still no evidence of human-to-human transmission like COVID-19, this is only from poultry to humans," she pointed out.
She explained that bird flu is another name for avian influenza, which is an infectious disease in poultry caused by the type A influenza virus or the H5N1 virus.
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Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Resinta S
Editor: Anton Santoso
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