

Don’t Brush Off Bird Flu
6 snips Jan 30, 2025
Michaela Simoneau, an associate fellow for global health security at CSIS, sheds light on the recent bird flu outbreak's impact on the poultry industry and U.S. egg prices. She discusses the crucial red flags researchers monitor to assess pandemic risks. The conversation emphasizes the necessity of government investment in vaccine development and public health communication. Michaela highlights the challenges in building public trust and misinformation management during health crises, underscoring the importance of coordinated efforts to mitigate future infectious diseases.
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Bird Flu Basics
- Bird flu, or H5N1, is a strain of influenza.
- It's killed about half of the under 1,000 human cases detected globally.
U.S. Bird Flu Timeline
- The first U.S. human case of bird flu appeared in 2022 in Colorado.
- In March 2024, bird flu surprisingly spilled over into cows.
Protecting Yourself from Bird Flu
- Avoid handling sick or dead birds, consuming raw milk/meat, and feeding raw products to pets.
- Pasteurization makes the milk supply safe, so trust the processes.