by BOB AARONThu, July 13th 2023, 2:25 PM PDT
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A USDA study draws concern that deer-adapted strains of COVID may impact human immunity. (WCHS)
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SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — A U.S. Department of Agriculture study shows that somehow COVID spreads from people to white-tailed deer and may rarely go the other way.
The concern is that deer-adapted strains might spill over back to humans and impact existing immunity.
At this point, mutations or new variants are more likely to come from people. Wildlife biologist Paul Johansen said deer meat is still safe.
“I certainly wouldn’t indicate or want to indicate to anybody that this looks like an imminent threat to humans,” Johansen said. “At the end of the day, the primary reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 remains humans. There is some preliminary information that indicates – although the probability is very low – that there can be reverse transmission as well from deer to humans.”
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The study sampled 11,000 deer. First year numbers showed 12.2% of deer had the virus while nearly a third of the animals had previous exposure.
At 12.9%, West Virginia numbers were higher but have dipped significantly in the second year.
West Virginia is also taking part in the research. The Division of Natural Resources said during the first year of testing, about 12% of the deer had COVID. In the second year, that number was down to just a little below 2%.
“If you’re really looking for protection against infection by COVID-19, consider getting a vaccination,” Johansen said.
Deer shed the virus in about a week and don’t get sick and die while elderly West Virginians are still dying from COVID at a rate of about one a day based on this week’s numbers from state officials.
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The study appears to show that some COVID variants that pushed deaths up earlier in the pandemic were mutating and spreading between deer.
Exposing the Big Game 
Reblogged this on Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting Blog.