Feds push farmworker vaccines to prevent bird, seasonal flus from mingling (Axios)
Jul 30, 2024
Tina Reed
The federal government is pouring money into getting more farmworkers vaccinated to prevent them from being infected by the seasonal flu and bird flu viruses at the same time.
Why it matters: Officials said the mitigation efforts part of a wider effort to reduce a “theoretical” risk that the viruses could mix and become more transmissible in humans.
- The seasonal flu vaccine will not prevent infection against bird flu but officials say the primary goal is to prevent severe illness in workers who work closely with livestock.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the risk to the general public from the virus remains “low.”