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Avian Flu Spreads in U.S.; Georgia Suspends In-State Poultry Activity

On Jan. 17 the Georgia Department of Agriculture announced it had detected the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) (H5N1), in a large-scale commercial chicken flock, and ordered, “effective immediately, all in-state poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales are suspended until further notice.” The 45,000 broiler breeders (birds producing chickens for meat,) are being culled; and the premises disinfected. A quarantine and testing area is in effect. Georgia is among the top five chicken-producing states in the U.S.

The Georgia instance is the latest instance of the HPAI spread, affecting the food chain and health for humans and animals. Egg shortages and soaring prices are everywhere.

Avian flu was identified as one of the immediate situations requiring proper public health attention in the joint article published Nov. 24, 2024 by five former U.S. Surgeons General, who have served in four administrations.

Dr. Jerome Adams, who was Surgeon General in the first Trump Administration, spoke out in December 2024. He wrote on his X account on Dec. 20, “I’m most worried about a seemingly inevitable animal H5N1 pandemic that will impact meat, dairy, and egg supplies and costs. The more H5N1 multiplies and re-assorts in animals, the more likely we are to get a mutation which is more transmissible in and harmful to humans. So even beyond food supply and economic impacts (which could be disastrous), uncontrolled animal spread is highly worrisome.”

It has not been publicized what the Trump nominees for the relevant public health positions are advocating. Last week, the Biden Administration announced a grant of $590 million to Moderna to update a vaccine to protect humans, that the pharmaceutical company has been working on, after receiving a grant last July 2024 to the project.

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