What can you do to prevent getting bird flu?
Jan 30, 2025
Excerpt:
“At this time, the best thing to do is be vigilant,” Landon said.
In its current form, the bird flu virus doesn’t spread from human to human. But if the virus mutates, it could become highly transmissible and spread rapidly through the population, Landon said.
Influenza viruses mutate frequently (which is why the flu vaccine changes from year to year) and the more mammals that have bird flu, the higher the chances are of a significant mutation occurring.
How to protect yourself from bird flu
The CDC currently considers bird flu a low public health risk, but it still recommends people take these steps to protect themselves and their pets:
1. Only consume pasteurized dairy products.
“The highest risk to most people would be through contaminated dairy products,” Landon said.
That's because dairy cows can pass on the virus through their milk. Pasteurization effectively inactivates bacteria and viruses, including bird flu, so avoid raw milk, unpasteurized cheese or any item made with unpasteurized milk (check the label or ask the vendor).
2. Refrigerate —
and cook —
your eggs, meat and poultry.
Eggs, meat and chicken need to be cooked to specific temperatures in order to be safely consumed. See the CDC
guidelines on how to safely handle and cook eggs, poultry and meat.
3. Get your human influenza vaccine.
If you can avoid getting infected with the human influenza virus, you reduce the need for healthcare workers to spend time screening you for bird flu symptoms.
Click here to find a clinic offering flu shots near you.
4. Protect and vaccinate your pets.
Dogs and cats are unlikely to get bird flu, but the
CDC warns against giving them raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products or raw pet food. Keep them away from sick or dead birds when they’re outside.
Some pets also should get an influenza vaccine; talk to your veterinarian.
5. Avoid contact with wild, sick or dead birds and livestock.
Contact local wildlife officials if you find a sick bird or animal, and avoid contact with their saliva, feces, mucus or even the space the animals occupied. The virus can be airborne, and you don’t want it getting in your eyes, nose or mouth.
6. Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
The No. 1 thing you can do to fend off all viruses is frequent hand washing. If your hands are in contact with things that birds might touch outdoors, such as a backyard bird feeder, be especially diligent about hand hygiene.
7. Follow public health recommendations.
People who work with livestock are at the greatest risk of bird flu. To stop the disease's spread, it's critical that they participate in testing programs and wear masks and gloves when advised. “For those workers, do your best to cooperate with and trust your public health officials,” Landon said.
Everyone else should support efforts to prevent infections by paying attention to public health recommendations, she said.
Answers to common questions about bird flu
What is bird flu?
Continued:
https://news.uchicago.edu/story/what-can-you-do-prevent-getting-bird-flu
