The US May Start Vaccinating Chickens Against Bird Flu

As part of a new $1 billion plan to address bird flu in poultry and lower egg prices across the country, US secretary of agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Wednesday that the Department of Agriculture is considering vaccinating chickens against highly pathogenic avian influenza. The US has dealt with flare-ups of bird flu in the past, but the current outbreak has been raging since 2022. The virus has been detected in wild birds in every state, which go on to expose commercial poultry and other animals. At least 166 million birds and 973 dairy herds have been affected in the current US outbreak. Infected animals have led to 70 cases of bird flu in people, including one death. Bird flu is extremely deadly for poultry and can wipe out flocks quickly. To stop the virus from spreading, the USDA has long promoted culling infected birds. The practice has led to a 53 percent increase in egg prices from January 2024 to January of this year, and this week the USDA predicted an additional 40 ... Read full article.