Experts say current US outbreak is unlikely to end without intervention with further mutation of virus likely

Summary

A new H5N1 bird flu variant has become “endemic in cows,” with cases detected in Nevada and Arizona, raising concerns about human transmission.

Experts warn that without intervention, the outbreak will continue, but Trump has cut CDC staff and halted flu vaccination campaigns.

The virus’s spread coincides with a severe flu season, increasing the risk of mutation.

The administration has also stopped sharing flu data with the WHO and shifted its containment strategy away from culling infected poultry, raising fears of inadequate response.

  • iAvicenna@lemmy.world
    20·
    21 hours ago

    People confusing this with COVID might be in for a surprise because if this becomes a human pandemic it will likely be much worse.

    • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      13 hours ago

      Agreed. Maybe if we didn’t have so many goddamn Republicans, especially with power and platforms. Even under Kamala, it’d be bad, but with these chucklefucks in charge right now…

    • SecondaryAnnetagonist@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      6·
      19 hours ago

      The difference being that Covid took a scientific breakthrough to make a vaccine for (as various factors about the virus were unprecedented) while flu variants are very much a known thing as far as virology goes.

      The feds already have a reserve of human-safe H5N1 vaccines, the only thing preventing them from using that when SHTF is ideology. It will be both completely prepared for and completely preventable.

      • piecat@lemmy.world
        7·
        17 hours ago

        You think we’ll have enough?

        Fascists are actively slashing funding, firing experts, cutting programs. Research labs are currently in shambles. The future secretary of health is a fucking anti-vaxer.

        You thought covid was bad? We’re going to experience a pandemic with no government action first hand.

      • iAvicenna@lemmy.world
        5·
        18 hours ago

        assuming the strain used in that reserve will be effective against whatever variant makes a breakthrough to humans. note that current H5 vaccine candidates are determined based on animal studies and a variant that jumps from an animal to a human might show substantial variation that we could need to change the strain in the vaccines. it would be faster than before thanks to mRNA vaccines but I would think that even just within the USA, a sufficient roll out with an updated vaccine would at best take a couple months assuming people would be willing to get vaccinated. Between the antivax people in US and parts of the world not receiving vaccine quickly enough, there would be ample room for such a H5 to take hold and have devastating effects. Covid could still seem like a walk in the park despite having mRNA tech ready to go now.