The U.S. is mishandling the threat posed by H5N1 avian flu, as well as other infectious diseases, by both under- and overreacting to the risks involved.
Katherine J. Wu reports for The Atlantic.
In short:
- The U.S. has antivirals and vaccines that might be effective against H5N1, but there's no evidence the virus is spreading efficiently between people.
- The nation’s public health focus is misplaced, prioritizing dairy-related fears over effective surveillance of other livestock and animal carriers.
- U.S. health systems remain unprepared, with limited flu vaccines and insufficient data sharing and testing.
Key quote:
“We are completely ignoring the public-health threat that is happening right now.”
— Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health.
Why this matters:
Despite lessons learned from COVID-19, the U.S. has not improved its infectious disease monitoring, leaving the nation vulnerable to emerging health threats like H5N1. Read more: When COVID-19 science comes home to roost.
