robby

No one knows how long or even if the virus will mutate to a strain easily transmittable by humans. Mutations are random, and very quick for simple organisms such are viruses. There have been millions of random mutations in the pool of H5N1 virus in the last 24 hours. A sucessful mutation allows the virus to adapt and compete better and be more successful propagating itself. A really virulent virus would kill it's host and limit the spread of the virus, so virulence tends to be de-selected. That's why Ebola is not a global threat. People catch it and die so quickly that it doesn't get beyond a few villages in Africa.

Certain strains of the H5N1 virus already seem resistant to Tamiflu, and possibly the best choice might be getting a pneumonia vaccination.