I agree with McDuff's post on the rabies study.  Also its not just a case of
disclaimer's for more funding, or the scientists obsession for absolutes,
its also government bureacracy's standard CYA (cover your a**).  No one
person wants to be the one to come out and say - the quarantine period
should be 10 days - just in case the impossible happens and fingerpointing
starts down the food chain to them.
 
Another reason to support McDuff's argument.  It seems, in general, that if
a person is to contract rabies it is most likely to occur directly from a
"wild" animal source.  I.e.  a rabid racoon, bat, skunk etc.  The reason to
vaccinate dogs, cats, ferrets ets.  is more to stop another vector from
developing and compounding the spread of the disease first and secondly to
protect humans.  If rabies were a large frequent threat to humans wouldn't
health authorities recommend that humans get the rabies vaccine as a matter
of course like measels?
 
I know its deadly but there is a preventative vaccine for humans!  There are
shots for after the bite!  There is a vaccine to prevent the disease in
ferrets!  This makes the unwillingness to provide a quarantine period for
ferrets based on the current research for ferrets crap!  Personally I feel
very comfortable with the amount of research done (actually I didn't care if
they did any more after they found the ferret vaccine viable).  I think its
time to say no more wasted dollars on research - give us a quarantine period!
 
Mary
[Posted in FML issue 2104]