The US government’s response to the bird flu outbreak among dairy cattle has raised alarms about the country’s preparedness for a potential pandemic, CNN reports.
Nearly a year into the first outbreak of the virus among dairy cows, it has spread to at least 875 herds across 16 states, and experts warn that its impact could be far-reaching. The situation highlights a series of missteps, including slow federal interventions, lack of coordination between agencies, and inadequate protection for farmworkers. These failures not only exacerbate the crisis but also set the stage for a potentially catastrophic public health emergency.
The bird flu, known as H5N1, was first identified in cows in northern Texas in February. Within weeks, the highly pathogenic virus spread, primarily through milking equipment and possibly air transmission, infecting cattle in multiple states. Despite early detection, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) failed to respond quickly enough to contain the virus, which soon spread from dairy farms to poultry operations. The USDA’s delayed actions and limited coordination with local health officials hindered efforts to control the outbreak.
Keith Poulsen, a livestock veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin, recalls his surprise when farmers showed him the desperate measures they were taking to treat infected cows at the World Dairy Expo in October. These cows, suffering from symptoms like milk loss and weakness, were treated with electrolyte-rich fluids through tubes inserted into their esophagus—an effort he compared to treating wounded soldiers in a field hospital. Yet, as the virus continued to spread, the USDA’s approach remained sluggish. Tests for bird flu in milk were not implemented nationwide until months after the virus had taken hold, prompting criticism from experts like Tom Bollyky, director of the Global Health Program at the Council on Foreign Relations. He noted that the slow response echoed the mistakes made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compounding the problem, there was a lack of transparency and coordination between agriculture and public health agencies. Local health departments struggled to gain access to farms, as many farm owners were reluctant to allow health officials to test workers for potential infections. Farmworkers, who are often immigrants, faced the added concern of losing their jobs or being deported if they tested positive for the virus. The USDA allocated millions of dollars to help farmers, but farmworker advocates argued that more should be done to protect the workers who were most at risk of exposure.
Despite the limited scope of human infections so far—less than 60 cases—experts warn that the bird flu could evolve to spread more easily between people. Virologists, such as Tom Peacock from the Pirbright Institute in the UK, have pointed out that even a small mutation could turn the virus into a more easily transmissible strain, potentially leading to a pandemic. The recent hospitalization of a person in Louisiana with severe bird flu symptoms underscores the potential danger.
The lack of comprehensive surveillance and testing has left experts with limited data on how the virus spreads and whether it is becoming more dangerous. Studies conducted in several states revealed that farmworkers had contracted the virus, but the full extent of the outbreak among workers remained unclear. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which took charge of human health monitoring, struggled to coordinate efforts, and critical information gaps persist.
As winter sets in, the risk of the bird flu spreading further grows, especially as its symptoms can be mistaken for those of the seasonal flu. There is also the potential for the virus to combine with other flu strains, creating a new hybrid virus that could spread more easily between humans.
The United States’ response to this outbreak highlights significant flaws in the public health infrastructure, particularly in addressing emerging threats. Experts like Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, have stressed the need for a more proactive approach, including expanded surveillance of farmworkers, better access to testing, and the distribution of vaccines to those most at risk. Yet, the slow pace of action continues to be a cause for concern.
