US Companies Prepare for Bird Flu Outbreak

Some of the country’s largest chicken retailers are working hard to prepare themselves for a possible outbreak of the avian flu, even though the virus has yet to appear in the US. Will the preparations help them weather this potential storm?

According to an article by Beth Herskovits for PR Week USA,  both Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and KFC are making plans should the deadly strain of flu strike.  Popeyes has set up an Avian Flu Task Force, she says, and is directing its outreach toward franchisees. KFC, on the other hand, has crafted a media and advertising response in case of a bird flu outbreak.

Similarly, Herskovits says the National Chicken Council is conducting outreach to farmers in an attempt to raise awareness of the virus. The council is stressing that the US doesn’t import chicken from countries impacted by the flu.

Herskovits also tackles the area of how Roche, maker of Tamiflu, the only known drug to treat the disease, is handling its communications in the midst of concerns that the company may not be able to produce enough of the drug in the event of a pandemic.