OVERVIEW OF TRANSMISSION ITEM 1 Proposed story on bird flu 4’
(proposed commentary on edited pictures, and transcript of interview) 00.00
Proposed commentary :
In case of outbreak of a pandemia of bird flu, the EU doesn’t have funds available to help Balkan countries cope with the crisis. According to Philip Tod, the spokesperson of the Commissioner in charge of Health and Social Protection, Mr Markos Kyprianou, the European Commission can give technical support, but there is no budget foreseen to help third countries. 00.26 Interview Philip Tod, Spokesperson for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission - “Certainly in terms of expertise the Commission is willing to do all it can to provide experts. In terms of financial aid it is more difficult but the EC will consider entirely if there are mechanisms through pre-accession funds or if some assistance could be diverted from other sources. But that is the matter for commissioners responsible to consider.” Proposed commentary
00.53
The governments who do not have sufficient means have to work within their own budgetary frameworks, says the Commission. On its side, the World Health Organisation is building up stocks of anti-viral medicines. It is hoped that they will be sufficient to cope with a possible outbreak in countries who do not have enough protection means. For the moment, the only protection is the elimination of each bird suspected of carrying bird flu.” 01.24 Interview Philip Tod, Spokesperson for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission
- “The EC will urge any country that has a suspected case of aviona influenza to immediately test the birds, to do blood test and further biological tests to send samples to the European laboratory to have that confirmed and to take measures to isolate of the suspected outbreak, to stop movements of the birds and, if it’s necessary, to begin to cull the birds. That is the only weapon that we have. If avian influenza breaks out in an area, the only way is to kill the birds to stop the virus spreading.” 02.03
Proposed commentary The experts recommend to the Balkan countries to prepare national contingency plans to fight against a possible pandemia. But no country can fight alone against this global threat, Commissioner Kyprianou confirmed. 02.24 Interview Philip Tod, Spokesperson for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission
- “But it is important to underline the need for international cooperation because this is a global threat and we have to work closely with our international partners to deal with this issue effectively.”
02.37
Proposed commentary :
Following last week’s alarming reports on the progress of bird flu at Europe’s door, the EU is deploying all it’s efforts to defuse tensions. The UK Minister of Health Patricia Hewitt, who presided the informal Council of EU Health Ministers on bird flu, declared: 02.55 Statement Patricia Hewitt, UK Minister of Health - « ?n avian flu, the WHO confirmed that the risk to the general population in Europe is very low indeed. Secondly, the seasonal flu should be dealt with in a usual way. Thirdly, the WHO confirmed that there is no increase in the risk of pandemic flu but every Member States needs to make sure that it is adequately prepared to face the risk of it. We all agree to step up our effort to coordinate. No single country can work in an isolated way. We can do far more together. 03.45
At a meeting in the UK, it was confirmed all member states would be responsible for drawing up their own plans and antiviral drug stockpiles. These plans will be examined next week at a meeting in Copenhagen.
ITEM 2: Rush Footage
ITW Philip TOD, spokesman of the Commissionaire Markos Kiprianou 04.02
How dangerous is the situation ? 05.03
Is there a room for panic ? 05.26
How the EU prepares itself to face eventual pandemia of aviona flu ? 06.35
Does the coordination on international level exists ? 07.08
Is it necessary for people to be vaccinated ? 07.50
Which measure of prevention and protection do you recommend ? 08.50
How poor and small countries like those in the Balkans could stockpile drugs for avian flu in the situation of limited resources ? 09.25
What do you recommend to Balkan states ? How they can protect themselves ? 10.06
Does the EU have expert or financial assistance for the Balkan states in case of an outbreak of avian influenza ? 10.22
End of transmission | 
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