NEW YORK — The U.S. will cover the cost of seasonal flu shots for farmworkers this year, a measure aimed at preventing bird flu from evolving into a more dangerous form.
Dairy and poultry farms are experiencing outbreaks of bird flu, resulting in 13 infected workers. All cases have been mild and are thought to have originated from direct transmission from infected animals to humans.
However, health officials are concerned about the potential consequences if people are simultaneously infected with bird flu and seasonal flu. There is a possibility that the viruses could exchange genetic segments, a process scientists refer to as reassortment. Bird flu, for instance, could acquire the ability to spread as readily among humans as seasonal flu does.
To mitigate the risk of coinfections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday that it will allocate $5 million to purchase seasonal flu shots and vaccinate livestock workers this fall, collaborating with state and local authorities. An additional $5 million will be dedicated to promoting these vaccinations.
“Our goal is to take every precaution to reduce the likelihood of the virus changing,” stated CDC’s Dr. Nirav Shah.
Seasonal flu shots do not provide protection against bird flu. But they could potentially reduce the incidence of coinfections, Shah explained. The CDC is also exploring the possibility of offering certain farmworkers the antiviral medication Tamiflu as a preventive measure against the flu, Shah added.
U.S. officials estimate that there are at least 200,000 livestock workers in the country. According to the National Center for Farmworker Health, approximately a quarter of livestock workers typically receive a seasonal flu shot.
Production of a limited quantity of bird flu vaccine for humans is underway, but the government is not recommending it for farmworkers. The current situation does not exhibit the kind of person-to-person spread that would warrant such a vaccination campaign, Shah noted.
A bird flu virus has been circulating among mammals, including dogs, cats, skunks, bears, and even seals and porpoises, in numerous countries since 2020. Earlier this year, the virus, known as H5N1, was detected in U.S. livestock.
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AP health writer JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report.