As federal health officials ramp up preparations for potential human cases of bird flu, the focus intensifies on vaccine readiness and surveillance measures.
Rachel Roubein and Lena H. Sun report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Federal efforts are underway to test vaccine components against the H5N1 bird flu strain, with a timeline of weeks to months for potential availability.
- Enhanced surveillance and preparation underscore the seriousness with which the CDC views the threat, amidst concerns over the virus spreading from cattle to humans.
- Funding shortfalls for pandemic preparedness raise alarms about the U.S. ability to respond to an influenza outbreak effectively.
Key quote:
“We had not seen avian flu in cattle prior to last week. That is new. It’s a reservoir for virus to circulate and potentially, change.”
— CDC director Mandy Cohen
Why this matters:
One of the most alarming aspects of H5N1 is its high mortality rate in humans. Though human cases have been relatively rare, with most instances traced back to direct or indirect contact with infected live or dead birds, the fatality rate among those infected is significant. This raises concerns about the potential for a pandemic should the virus mutate to become easily transmissible between humans.
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