Thank you, doctors. It gives me great comfort to think of scientists working around the clock, around the globe, in all of our public health struggles. That “…trials…are already underway” is excellent to read. Scientists help me keep my clear-eyed optimism going. It ain’t easy being a clear-eyed optimist! A cloptimist, if you will ;). Your skilled information sharing is key. Many thanks.
In 2004 and 2005 I was working in Ho Chi Minh City Viet Nam (HCMC). I was also traveling to China, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan. In Viet Nam during this time there was a very bad outbreak of bird flu. Tens of millions of chickens were being destroyed (killed and then burned). This to prevent the spread of bird flu. A day did not go by without a report of a family in the countryside having a member become infected with this bird flu and dying within days (these reports were in carried in the English language daily newspaper in HCMC where I was staying and working). Often times all members of a family became infected. Children were the first to die followed by elderly family members. In many cases the whole family would die. This particular bird flu was spread by contact with infected birds. Usually these families were handling the birds as well as the birds being taken into a home.
Parenthetically 2004 was a time when the first SARS virus was waning in China. When I traveled to and from Shanghai and Beijing via plane, we were screened at every airport in China and Japan for symptoms of SARS… temperature, nose and throat were inspected, etc. Chinese and Japanese officials were taking this virus very seriously. Citizens as well with many wearing masks. More so than we are taking covid now. Since our president has proclaimed the pandemic to be over and our citizens think that covid fatigue qualifies as a pass for safety measures we're not well positioned should a new variant emerge.
After 22 California Condors died from HPAI in AZ. last year there is a program to vaccinate all of the Condors. Will the same vaccine be effective for mammals/humans?
Was so glad to see this article today, the first thing I looked for after seeing those news stories was to see if you had written about it yet! Thanks for keeping us up to date :)
I appreciate the focus on the effect on humans with the new cow to cow transmission of H5N1 flu. I would also like to hear about how this is going to affect the wild bird population, the chicken and egg industry, and any other anticipated effects on the food supply to humans. Are eggs going to become scarce and expensive again? Is anything being done to mitigate effects on the animal population? Has anyone even suggested putting a moratorium on shipping cows across state lines?
For what it's worth. H1N5 is just a part of life in Asia and infects the random person every so often. It's something they have dealt with for decades without any notable impact on society. While it might be new to America, it's not actually new.
Thanks for this update, Dr. Rivers. My partner was employed as a senior research assistant in the lab of Walter Boyce at UC Davis from 2005-2015. I learned more about flu pathogenicity from her than I wanted, and now I worry more about the chances of another flu pandemic than I do about another coronavirus pandemic. I really appreciate the constant surveillance being done to try to keep up with the influenza virus, and I pray that funding for that research doesn't get "re-prioritized".
Thank you, doctors. It gives me great comfort to think of scientists working around the clock, around the globe, in all of our public health struggles. That “…trials…are already underway” is excellent to read. Scientists help me keep my clear-eyed optimism going. It ain’t easy being a clear-eyed optimist! A cloptimist, if you will ;). Your skilled information sharing is key. Many thanks.
In 2004 and 2005 I was working in Ho Chi Minh City Viet Nam (HCMC). I was also traveling to China, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan. In Viet Nam during this time there was a very bad outbreak of bird flu. Tens of millions of chickens were being destroyed (killed and then burned). This to prevent the spread of bird flu. A day did not go by without a report of a family in the countryside having a member become infected with this bird flu and dying within days (these reports were in carried in the English language daily newspaper in HCMC where I was staying and working). Often times all members of a family became infected. Children were the first to die followed by elderly family members. In many cases the whole family would die. This particular bird flu was spread by contact with infected birds. Usually these families were handling the birds as well as the birds being taken into a home.
Parenthetically 2004 was a time when the first SARS virus was waning in China. When I traveled to and from Shanghai and Beijing via plane, we were screened at every airport in China and Japan for symptoms of SARS… temperature, nose and throat were inspected, etc. Chinese and Japanese officials were taking this virus very seriously. Citizens as well with many wearing masks. More so than we are taking covid now. Since our president has proclaimed the pandemic to be over and our citizens think that covid fatigue qualifies as a pass for safety measures we're not well positioned should a new variant emerge.
Thank you for this newsletter, I read it religiously.
I'm thinking one thing we can depend on is that milk producers will not fail to take advantage of the opportunity to price-gouge.
After 22 California Condors died from HPAI in AZ. last year there is a program to vaccinate all of the Condors. Will the same vaccine be effective for mammals/humans?
Thank you for your review of the current situation with HPAI. I was thinking about this last night and implications.
Was so glad to see this article today, the first thing I looked for after seeing those news stories was to see if you had written about it yet! Thanks for keeping us up to date :)
I appreciate the focus on the effect on humans with the new cow to cow transmission of H5N1 flu. I would also like to hear about how this is going to affect the wild bird population, the chicken and egg industry, and any other anticipated effects on the food supply to humans. Are eggs going to become scarce and expensive again? Is anything being done to mitigate effects on the animal population? Has anyone even suggested putting a moratorium on shipping cows across state lines?
I don't understand how it can be "the exact same virus" and also need to test for new mutations. Once it mutates it isn't the same exact virus, is it?
You discuss the potential impact on milk. Do you have any thoughts on the impact of beef?
My favorite quote from this is "A cow isn't a pig." Well I certainly hope not. Thanks for the update and have a great Tuesday Docs. :)
For what it's worth. H1N5 is just a part of life in Asia and infects the random person every so often. It's something they have dealt with for decades without any notable impact on society. While it might be new to America, it's not actually new.
I was just discussing HPAI viruses with my virology class this morning. Perfect timing! Thank you for all of your work to educate and inform.
Thanks for this update, Dr. Rivers. My partner was employed as a senior research assistant in the lab of Walter Boyce at UC Davis from 2005-2015. I learned more about flu pathogenicity from her than I wanted, and now I worry more about the chances of another flu pandemic than I do about another coronavirus pandemic. I really appreciate the constant surveillance being done to try to keep up with the influenza virus, and I pray that funding for that research doesn't get "re-prioritized".
To Faye’s question about mitigation, I saw this story
These Gene-Edited Chickens Were Made to Resist Bird Flu | WIRED
https://www.wired.com/story/these-gene-edited-chickens-were-made-to-resist-bird-flu/
Yes, thank you, doctors! I really value this newsletter.
EXCELLENT update. Thank you.