March 8, 2023

US proposes vaccinating chickens due to bird flu

The US government has proposed a mass vaccination campaign for the country's poultry population, due to spread of bird flu that has resulted in deaths of tens of millions of chickens and increased cost of eggs, Prensa Latina reported.

A large-scale bird flu vaccination programme for poultry, which would be a first for the US, is being discussed with industry leaders, according to officials at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the risk of a pandemic among humans is low, but has sent flu virus samples to drug producers that could form the basis of vaccines for people.

The CDC is also is looking into whether commercial test producers would be willing to create H5N1-specific tests similar to those used for COVID-19.

Cases of H5N1 bird flu among humans are typically those who have been exposed to poultry. The CDC is monitoring Americans who have been exposed to H5N1 in collaboration with state and local public health departments in the country.

-      Prensa Latina