The continued outbreak of bird flu at dairy farms is causing growing concern about the spread of the virus. Former BARDA head Rick Bright has warned that we are at a dangerous inflection point and must pay attention to the warning signs.
Bright points out that the virus is infecting more mammals, particularly dairy cattle, posing a risk of spreading from cow to cow. With humans in close contact with these infected animals, there is a growing concern of transmission to people.
One major issue hindering efforts to control the spread of the virus is access to testing for workers on the dairy farms. While tests are available at the CDC, barriers such as undocumented immigrant workers’ fear of government tracking and tracing, as well as concerns of farm owners about potential shutdowns and loss of income, are preventing effective testing and containment measures.
It is crucial that incentives are put in place to address these barriers and ensure that testing and control measures can be implemented effectively to prevent further spread of the virus. The potential consequences of ignoring these warning signs could be severe, and it is essential that proactive steps are taken to address the situation before it escalates further.