In response to outbreaks of bird flu on dairy and poultry farms, the U.S. government has announced plans to cover the cost of flu shots for farmworkers this year. The initiative aims to mitigate the risk of bird flu evolving into a more dangerous form.
So far, 13 workers have contracted mild infections from infected animals, sparking concerns about potential coinfections with seasonal flu. Health officials fear that simultaneous infections could lead to gene swapping between viruses, a process known as reassortment. This could potentially enhance the transmissibility of bird flu among humans.
To address this risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will allocate $5 million to purchase seasonal flu shots for livestock workers and facilitate their vaccination in collaboration with state and local authorities. An additional $5 million will be dedicated to promoting the importance of flu shots.
While seasonal flu shots do not provide protection against bird flu, they may help reduce the likelihood of coinfections. The CDC is also exploring the option of offering antiviral medication, such as Tamiflu, to farmworkers as a preventive measure against flu.
With an estimated 200,000 livestock workers in the U.S., efforts to increase flu vaccination rates among this population are crucial. Currently, only a quarter of livestock workers typically receive seasonal flu shots, according to the National Center for Farmworker Health.
Although bird flu vaccine production for humans is underway, the government is not recommending it for farmworkers at this time. The CDC emphasizes that the lack of significant person-to-person transmission does not warrant a widespread vaccination campaign for bird flu.
Since 2020, a bird flu virus has been circulating among various mammal species globally, with recent detections in U.S. livestock earlier this year. The CDC's proactive measures aim to safeguard both animal and human health from the potential threats posed by bird flu.
