As bird flu cases continue to pop up in humans, Canada announced Wednesday that it purchased 500,000 doses of vaccine targeted at the virus. Here’s what you need to know about bird flu vaccinations in the U.S.
Canada is planning to use vaccines from GSK as part of its contingency plan to protect people at increased risk from avian influenza. According to USA Today, the U.S. began stockpiling around 10 million doses of vaccine that is believed to be effective against the bird flu, also known as H5N1. However, it noted that federal officials have not elected to use the vaccine yet.
Per the most recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current public health risk for the bird flu is low, though it has been causing outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows here in the U.S. Overall, 69 human cases have been reported. Of these, there are no known cases of human-to-human transmission – 41 people with the virus were exposed to dairy cattle, 23 to poultry farms and culling operations, two to other animals and three were exposed to the virus through an unknown source. One human death from the virus has been reported in the U.S.
Although the exposure risk is believed to be low, the “CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures,” the centers said.
USA Today said that the U.S. hasn’t used its vaccine stockpile yet since illnesses have been relatively mild and since there have been no cases of human-to-human transmission. However, the outlet said that “as more people are hospitalized with bird flu, health experts say preemptive vaccination could prevent further transmission from animals to humans.”
Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said the stockpiled vaccines are licensed and ready to be mobilized, according to USA Today. He said that health officials should consider vaccinating farm workers at highest risk of contracting the virus to stay ahead of potential mutations or outbreaks.
Currently, the CDC recommends that people avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with avian influenza A viruses. Those who must be in contact with animals at risk for the virus should wear recommended personal protective equipment (PPE), the CDC added.
“CDC currently recommends treatment as soon as possible with flu antiviral drugs for people with suspected or confirmed avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection,” said the centers. “Antiviral treatment works best when started as soon as symptoms begin.”
Recommendations for avian flu prevention also include proper food preparation for poultry, eggs and beef. The CDC also recommends pasteurized milk products rather than raw milk. Audacy station WCCO News Talk reported this week that Minnesota plans to start testing raw milk for avian flu.
USA Today’s report said that U.S. officials have also “launched an effort to vaccinate livestock workers with the seasonal flu shot,” though that shot doesn’t offer protection specifically against H5N1. Everyone in the U.S.
who is 6 months and older is encouraged by the CDC to get a seasonal flu shot.
This report also noted that Offit is worried that “vaccine hesitancy may also play a role in U.S. preparedness against bird flu,” this year. While new Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is known for being a vaccine skeptic, he did say during his Senate confirmation hearings that he is not anti-vaccine. President Donald Trump has also publicly said he believes there are “problems” with some vaccines, though his previous administration did support the development of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.
Last November, Audacy reported that the number of students attending schools without state-required vaccinations was rising, along with the number of kindergartners seeking vaccine exemptions. This week, Audacy reported that the United States Department of Agriculture shared that it accidentally fired “several” employees with the agency who were working on the H5N1 avian flu outbreak and that it was trying to hire them back.
“Multiple requests to federal agencies − including the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, tasked with stockpiling vaccines, and the Department of Health and Human Services − were not returned,” regarding the bird flu vaccines said USA Today’s report.
In addition to Canada announcing a stockpile of vaccines, USA Today said that Finland has started to use some of its bird flu vaccine stockpile, providing around 20,000 doses for high risk people. Both the Finnish and U.S. bird flu vaccines are made by CSL Seqirus, but are different vaccines the outlet noted.
“U.S. officials stockpiled 4.8 million doses of the vaccine that officials said was effective against circulating H5N1 strains,” over the summer, USA Today said. “In October, the U.S. issued a $72 million grant to three manufacturers to double the nation’s stockpile.”
Additionally, it said that pharmaceutical company Moderna – known for producing one of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. – is also developing a bird flu vaccine for humans. So far, it has received about $766 million from the U.S. government.