'The CDC is taking bird flu VERY seriously', vax in development

The CDC is taking the US bird flu outbreak 'very seriously' amid growing fears the virus could jump to humans and cause an epidemic.

A farm worker in Texas became the second American ever to be infected with the H5N1 strain this week after catching it from an infected cow — also the first time that bird flu has been found in cattle.

Mandy Cohen, the agency's director, told NPR that officials were 'monitoring the situation very closely' as farms in six states struggle with outbreaks on dairy farms.

The ease with which this virus is jumping between species raises the risk of it evolving to better infect people, which prompted one expert to tell DailyMail.com it could pose a greater risk than Covid.

Cohen said: 'That just means more opportunity for this virus to mutate and change. And that's what we want to make sure we are continuing to stay ahead of.'

It comes global agencies — including the WHO and a panel of experts in the EU — are also raising concerns over the risk of the virus spreading to humans.

The World Health Organization head, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, confirmed yesterday that the organization was in 'close contact' with the CDC.

'Any case of H5N1 is concerning,' he said, 'because it is highly dangerous to humans, although it has never bene shown to be easily transmissible between people.'

Other organizations have also raised the alarm including the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health, which said infections in more and more animals raised the risk of the virus spreading to humans.

The White House has said it is 'monitoring' the situation and the President is being kept up to date.

Dr Cohen said: 'What we've learned through Covid in our experience is: viruses change, and we need to say ahead of it.

'That's why we at the CDC and the whole of US government is taking this very seriously and monitoring the situation very closely.'…

But amid concerns, federal officials are preparing vaccine supplies in case there are more human cases.

They already have two candidates available, officials told the Washington Post, which could be rolled out within weeks to months if needed.

Officials also insisted they were well-poised to detect if a person has H5N1 through the agency's regular surveillance for seasonal flu at more than 100 public health labs in states across the US.

Experts say it would be easier to manufacture a vaccine against H5N1 compared to coronavirus because there are already several shots available to combat bird flu.

Millions of doses are already held in the strategic national stockpile, which could be rolled out if needed.

In February, the agriculture secretary also said that the country was '18 months or so' away from developing a bird flu vaccine for poultry.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13272137/cdc-bird-flu-monitoring.html

Anon hopes that anyone who willingly sticks their arms out in a Walmart parking lot for this jab gets more than a donut… and has paid up their life insurance premiums.