Thanks for the links; I've read both articles, but don't find much comfort or reassurance from either one -- especially the first. Moreover, I didn't see anything in either article to indicate that the WHO has downgraded the risk class. Where did you get that info? On the contrary, the first article includes statements such as: "... health officials worry that as bird flu spreads, it could mutate into a strain that easily passes among people" and "The WHO describes bird flu as unprecedented in its scope as an animal disease ...". I don't mean to come across as 'Chicken Little' ("the sky is falling"), but I do think that this health issue remains very serious and worthy of any preparations that we can make to met the challenge -- such as recruiting more crunchers who will be available in the even that WCG needs to make an immediate switch to an Avian Flu Vaccine project.

Cheers.

Bill Velek