Despite the fact that France's first-known case of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu was found in a duck which is a winter migrant to Ireland and western Britain from Russia and Eastern Europe, authorities in the UK appear to have no immediate plans to order Britain's 25 million free-range chickens to be kept indoors.
Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Greece and Slovenia are keeping poultry flocks inside in an attempt to protect their birds.
The government apparently believes the duck probably caught the illness in one of the countries already affected by the virus and was not about to cross the channel.
Animal Welfare Minister, Ben Bradshaw is reported to have said that British poultry would be moved inside if the disease was found there or was seen to be on a migratory path towards the UK.
Avian bird flu has now steadily spread from East Asia to reach Russia, Eastern Europe and a belt of Central Europe including Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy.
Although the disease remains predominantly a bird disease, humans can be infected by handling sick or dead birds.
Since it's initial appearance in 2003 it has killed over 90 people and made many others sick. All had been in contact with sick poultry.
There has always been the fear that the virus will mutate and become easily transmissible between humans, creating a pandemic with the potential to kill millions.
Many experts are querying Britain's relaxed attitude and consider other countries in Europe to be better prepared and organised.
It seems France and the Netherlands are eager to vaccinate free-range farm birds, and the French authorities have ordered 600 million face masks.
At present the advice to the British public appears to be limited to basic hygiene recommendations such as washing hands thoroughly and using paper handkerchiefs when sneezing.
The Department of Health said that it had ordered 14.6 million courses of anti-viral treatments but a vaccine cannot be produced until the flu has mutated.
An emergency two to three million doses of vaccine against the current H5N1 strain will be it seems be offered to researchers and health workers while a new vaccine is being developed.