A Focus on Vaccines
It's time for California Ag Today. On the Ag Information Network, I am Haylie Shipp.
As the H5N1 “avian flu” continues to tighten its grip, the United States and European Union are now taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines.
Reports say the vaccines would protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians, and lab technicians. Experts say this could curb a pandemic threat.
U.S. officials are already moving bulk vaccine that closely matches the current virus into almost five million vaccine doses. These actions come after the rapid spread of a new bird flu that first emerged in late 2020, killing a large number of wild birds and domestic poultry.
Thus far in 2024, the virus has infected a large number of cattle in nine states and two dairy employees.
Milk products are being closely monitored. From STATNews.com (www.statnews.com), a survey of 297 milk products, including cottage cheese and sour cream, conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, found viral RNA from the H5N1 bird flu in about 20% of samples.
And I get it, that’s alarming, but esting from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found that while commercial milk has shown remnants of the bird flu virus, the pasteurization process kills the virus and makes it safe for humans to drink. At this time, the risk to the general public remains low, according to health officials.
