Bird flu: Experts call for 'high risk' Americans to be vaccinated as worrying new study emerges

As the US grapples with a "multi-state outbreak" of bird flu among dairy cattle, experts are now urging vaccinations for Americans at "high risk." Finland has taken the lead, becoming the first country to roll out bird flu vaccines for humans, according to health officials.

The country has secured vaccines for 10,000 individuals , requiring two shots each, as part of an EU-wide deal for up to 40 million doses across 15 countries. With the virus appearing in mammals and even humans, calls for the US to follow suit are intensifying.

Speaking to Daily Express US , Aubree Gordon, a University of Michigan epidemiology and global public health professor, emphasized the need for prompt vaccination of "high-risk individuals" in the US against bird flu. Gordon stated: "I believe that the US should consider H5N1 vaccinations for high-risk individuals, such as those who work on dairy farms, or have close contact with animals that might be infected with H5N1, including some veterinarians and wildlife workers."

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In light of the Covid pandemic's handling, Gordon highlighted the importance of the US maintaining vigilance against the bird flu threat. She added: "Comparing the H5N1 outbreak to SARS-CoV-2, at this point, the H5N1 outbreak is restricted to birds and some mammals, we have not had many cases in humans and the virus is not transmitting from person to person."

However, she emphasized: "It is important that we remain vigilant, which includes trying to stop transmission in domesticated animals and closely monitoring the situation including investigating the extent of the outbreak in cattle, how it transmits so that we can better intervene to stop the outbreak in cattle, and monitoring the virus for changes that could make it more likely to transmit in humans."

This warning comes on the heels of a new study revealing that bird flu viruses can survive on hard surfaces for several hours, thereby increasing their potential to infect people and other animals. The research, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, discovered that the virus remained stable in unpasteurized milk on the metal and rubber components of commercial milking equipment.

Industry experts have pointed out that these findings underscore the importance of personal protective gear, such as face shields and masks, for dairy and farm workers, as well as the need for enhanced sanitization of milking equipment. Earlier this month, the FDA also disclosed that one in five retail milk samples across the US contain genetic traces of H5N1 viruses, highlighting the crucial role of milk pasteurization amid the current outbreak.

To safeguard yourself from bird flu, the CDC advises avoiding direct contact with wild birds, reporting sick or dead birds to local authorities, and refraining from unprotected direct physical contact with cattle.