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7 things you can do to prevent getting bird flu
January 15, 2025
Written ByEmily Landon, MD
Topics
- News
- https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/news/bird-flu
- Health and Wellness
- Prevention and Screening
- Patient Care
Public health officials are closely monitoring the latest bird flu outbreak that has sickened or killed millions of birds, chicken and cattle in the U.S.
The virus, also known as avian influenza or H5N1, has spread to dozens of humans, mostly farm and dairy workers. As of Jan. 14, 2025, it has resulted in one human death.
Unless you’re around livestock or sick birds, you don’t need to be overly worried, said Emily Landon, MD, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Chicago Medicine.
While she called it a “watch and wait” situation, Landon doesn’t foresee this bird flu outbreak becoming a global health emergency. Unlike the early days of COVID-19, health officials know how to prevent the spread of influenza and can produce influenza vaccines more easily.
“At this time, the best thing to do is be vigilant,” Landon said.
In its current form, the bird flu virus doesn’t spread from human to human. But if the virus mutates, it could become highly transmissible and spread rapidly through the population, Landon said.
Influenza viruses mutate frequently (which is why the flu vaccine changes from year to year) and the more mammals that have bird flu, the higher the chances are of a significant mutation occurring.
The number of bird flu cases in humans cited by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is low, but the actual count is likely higher, Landon said. Because symptoms in humans have been relatively minor so far — such as pink eye or cold symptoms — a bird flu diagnosis might be missed by doctors and not counted in the totals.
Landon offered several easy and important ways to stay safe.
How to protect yourself from bird flu
The CDC currently considers bird flu a low public health risk, but it still recommends people take these steps to protect themselves and their pets:
- Only consume pasteurized dairy products.
“The highest risk to most people would be through contaminated dairy products,” Landon said.That’s because dairy cows can pass on the virus through their milk. Pasteurization effectively inactivates bacteria and viruses, including bird flu, so avoid raw milk, unpasteurized cheese or any item made with unpasteurized milk (check the label or ask the vendor). - Refrigerate — and cook — your eggs, meat and poultry.
Eggs, meat and chicken need to be cooked to specific temperatures in order to be safely consumed. See the CDC guidelines on how to safely handle and cook eggs, poultry and meat. - Get your human influenza vaccine.
If you can avoid getting infected with the human influenza virus, you reduce the need for healthcare workers to spend time screening you for bird flu symptoms. UChicago Medicine offers flu shots for adults and children through March 31; click here for a listing of our vaccination clinic locations and hours. - Protect and vaccinate your pets.
Dogs and cats are unlikely to get bird flu, but the CDC warns against giving them raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products or raw pet food. Keep them away from sick or dead birds when they’re outside. Some pets also should get an influenza vaccine; talk to your veterinarian. - Avoid contact with wild, sick or dead birds and livestock.
Contact local wildlife officials if you find a sick bird or animal, and avoid contact with their saliva, feces, mucus or even the space the animals occupied. The virus can be airborne, and you don’t want it getting in your eyes, nose or mouth. - Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
The No. 1 thing you can do to fend off all viruses is frequent hand washing. If your hands are in contact with things that birds might touch outdoors, such as a backyard bird feeder, be especially diligent about hand hygiene. - Follow public health recommendations.
People who work with livestock are at the greatest risk of bird flu. To stop the disease’s spread, it’s critical that they participate in testing programs and wear masks and gloves when advised. “For those workers, do your best to cooperate with and trust your public health officials,” Landon said.Everyone else should support efforts to prevent infections by paying attention to public health recommendations, she said.
Answers to common questions about bird flu
What is bird flu?
It’s a virus, also known as avian influenza or the H5N1 virus, that periodically appears around the world. It primarily infects domestic poultry and wild birds. However, mammals can also catch H5N1, including pigs, cattle and humans. The most recent outbreak affecting dairy cattle in the U.S. has resulted in more human cases than previous outbreaks in poultry.
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
Pink eye (conjunctivitis), fever, cough, aching muscles and sore throat are common symptoms of bird flu. The mortality rate for human cases in the U.S. has been low; most people recover quickly and do not require hospitalization, Landon said, but some people do get very ill and can even die. Antiviral medicines can reduce the risk. If you feel sick after having contact with livestock, or after consuming raw dairy products, be sure to tell your doctor.
How does bird flu spread?
Bird flu spreads rapidly among infected poultry and can spread between mammals. While humans can catch bird flu from infected animals, it doesn’t spread well between humans. This could change over time as the virus mutates and evolves. The higher the number of infections overall, the faster the virus changes and adapts. This is why controlling the spread of bird flu is important even though the virus is currently unlikely to cause widespread disease in people.
Is there a bird flu vaccine?
There are older, existing human vaccines for avian influenza, but these are not widely available because human disease and death has been rare so far and older vaccines are more time consuming and difficult to make. Companies that make modern vaccines are developing an updated bird flu vaccine, which could soon be available to at-risk people such as farm workers or hunters.
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‘He’s such a good boy’: Animal rescue team helps save dog with leg caught in hunting trap
Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%A young dog is now in the care of a St. Louis animal rescue after being injured by a hunting trap. (Source: KMOV)
By Caroline Hecker and Jordan Gartner
Published: Jan. 15, 2025 at 1:27 PM PST|Updated: 18 hours ago
ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – A dog is now in the care of animal rescuers after being injured by a hunting trap in rural Missouri.
According to Stray Rescue, a nonprofit animal rescue, the dog was spotted by neighbors in Perryville a few weeks ago limping around with his back leg caught in a hunting trap.
After more than a week of trying to catch him, homeowners in the area were successful in removing the hunting trap and getting the dog over to the rescue team in St. Louis.
“These things shut so tightly, they just completely caught off circulation, so he had no blood flow essentially from his ankle down,” Dr. Edie Oliver, a veterinarian at Stray Rescue, said.
Veterinarians said they had to make the difficult decision to amputate the injured leg from the 1-year-old Husky-Shepard mix who has since been named Behrle.
But the team says he is already recovering well from the procedure.
“Dogs recover really well without the back leg as they put the majority of their weight on their front legs,” Oliver said. “So he’ll be up and about like nothing ever happened in a matter of weeks.”
Stray Rescue’s lead rescue officer Donna Lochmann said she’s never seen a dog caught in a hunting trap like this before.
“I feel like they’re so inhumane,” she said.
Using hunting traps like the one that injured Behrle is not illegal in Missouri, but veterinarians encourage hunters to use other means for catching animals.
“If you want to do trapping and that kind of thing there are way more humane ways to do it,” Oliver said.
Behrle is continuing his recovery before he is placed in a foster home and then becomes ready for adoption.
“He’s such a good boy,” Oliver said. “Sweet, calm and I think he’ll continue to get more comfortable.”
Arctic blast about to invade US. What happened to warm winter predictions?
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Story by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
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Hoping for a January thaw? Dream on.
Wasn’t this supposed to be a milder-than-average winter for the East and the South? Toasty isn’t exactly how you will describe the bone-numbing coming days.
“Multiple waves of arctic air continue to gather over northern Canada with eyes for the central and eastern United States in the days and weeks ahead,” AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok said this week.
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The most potent blast will enter the north-central U.S. on Friday, the National Weather Service warned, before roaring across much of the rest of the nation over the weekend. Arctic air will plunge from the northern Rockies and Great Plains, crossing the Gulf Coast and Midwest on Saturday night and the Eastern Seaboard on Sunday night.
A bundled-up pedestrian walks in downtown Louisville on Jan. 10, 2025, as a nearby bank clock and temperature sign show a temperature of -13 degrees Celsius or 10 degrees Fahrenheit.© Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images
“By Tuesday, the entire Lower 48 (will be) blasted with extreme Arctic cold. … The first days of the new Trump administration will be heavily focused on weather-related problems,” meteorologist Ryan Maue posted on X this week.
Even parts of the west coast of Greenland will be warmer than Texas, he said.
“Now is the time to prepare for an extended period of time of cold weather,” the weather service said.
How cold will it get?
As is typical, the coldest weather will be over the northern Plains and upper Midwest, where some spots may see subzero high temperatures next Sunday and Monday. Low temperatures are forecast to dip to 20 below zero or even lower.
Wind chills should be even colder and more dangerous.
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“Dangerous to life-threatening wind chills are expected” in North Dakota, and readings of 40 below are possible Sunday morning and again Monday morning, the weather service said. “This poses a great risk of hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin. Have a cold weather kit if traveling.”
Minnesota-based meteorologist Paul Douglas said on X Wednesday: “It’s not cheap hype: the bitter air arriving Sunday through Tuesday originated over Siberia. Expect subzero highs Sunday and Monday with -20 to -30F wind chills. This will probably be the coldest air of the winter.”
Frigid forecasts
In New York City, highs will be mainly in the 20s next week and nighttime lows in the 10s. “It is possible that on at least one day, highs may struggle to reach 20 (degrees) and night temperatures could dip into the single digits,” AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
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In Atlanta, highs will be in the 30s for the first half of next week but could recover later in the week. Nighttime lows will be mainly in the 20s Monday and beyond when the arctic air arrives.
In Houston, there may be a couple of days when temperatures reach no higher than 40 degrees with nighttime lows in the 20s to near 30 degrees, meaning a hard freeze is possible. “Hard freezes can be hazardous to people, pets, plants and pipes,” the weather service in Houston said. Sosnowski added that “at this level, which is 20-25 degrees below the historical average, pipes in exposed or unheated areas may freeze and burst.”
In Chicago, at least one day is likely to bring temperatures no higher than the single digits, AccuWeather said. Multiple nights with temperatures below zero are expected next week. “This renewed period of frigid temperatures will also likely lead to an increased threat for ice jams on area rivers next week,” the weather service in Chicago said.
What about snow?
Along with the bitter cold will come multiple chances for snow in the central, southern and eastern U.S. What may ultimately turn out to be the most significant storm is forecast for next week in the South: “The track and intensity of that storm will determine if heavy snow falls on parts of the Southern states and if some of that snow is able to reach into the Mid-Atlantic for the middle of next week,” Sosnowski said.
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©Scott Eisen, Getty Images
People sled with their dog on the Boston Common following a snowstorm on Dec. 21, 2024 in Boston.
Does this cold snap jibe with the preseason winter forecast?
The winter forecast from the federal government – which covered December, January and February – predicted a warmer-than-average winter for the southern and eastern U.S. So far, January has been very cold, especially in the eastern half of the nation, but December was the fourth-warmest on record, nationally.
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So the jury is still out on NOAA’s preseason temperature forecast. “I’m always a bit nervous to make claims about winter with months left before the season is over,” NOAA meteorologist Tom DiLiberto said in a recent email to USA TODAY. “We’ve seen in past years how one month can impact the seasonal pattern.”
As for precipitation, he said, “so far this winter, the patterns seen over the U.S., including drier than average conditions across the southern tier, and wetter than average conditions in the Pacific Northwest, are consistent with the historically expected La Niña pattern, and also generally consistent with the winter outlook issued in November 2024.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arctic blast about to invade US. What happened to warm winter predictions?
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VA Marine Scientists Leads National Program Cleaning up Discarded Fishing Gear, Awarding New Grants
Abandoned crab pots collected in Virginia. Photo by the Center for Coastal Resources Management.
By John Page Williams / January 15, 2025
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The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and William and Mary’s Coastal Sciences school are leading the charge nationwide to clean up discarded fishing gear and “ghost pots” from U.S. waterways.
William & Mary’s Batten School and VIMS, administrators of the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program, has awarded $1.4 million to fund 11 projects to retrieve derelict lobster and crab traps in 2025. This initial round supports projects in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New York, Washington and the Pacific Island State of Palau, as well as ongoing efforts by the Virginia Marine Debris Program.
In 2023, using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program awarded an $8 million, four-year competitive grant to the Batten School & VIMS to administer the TRAP program. One important feature of the project will be standardizing data collection practices and establishing a national database to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of these projects.
“This is a special program because it allows local communities to tackle the issues that impact their environments and livelihoods the most, all under the same overarching goal,” said Kirk Havens, who directs the Center for Coastal Resources Management at VIMS. “The Batten School & VIMS is uniquely positioned to lead these efforts thanks to our nearly two decades of experience tackling this issue in the Chesapeake Bay.”
Lost, abandoned, discarded fishing equipment can harm ecosystems and economies by trapping and killing animals, damaging marine habitat, and competing with actively fished gear. After the crab disaster declaration in 2008, VIMS and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission worked with local watermen to begin the Virginia Marine Debris Removal Program, which ultimately led to the removal of more than 34,000 derelict crab pots between 2008 and 2014.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program supported that research. A 2016 study estimated removal efforts over the six-year period in Virginia and Maryland increased blue crab harvests in the Chesapeake Bay by 38 million pounds, putting an extra $33.5 million into the pockets of local watermen. An additional 2016 report revealed that removing just 10% of derelict crab pots and lobster traps on a global basis could increase landings by 293,929 metric tons—a yearly value of $831 million.
Here on the Chesapeake, the Batten School & VIMS received $152,669 to continue the Virginia Marine Debris Removal Program, employing local watermen. In Maryland, the Oyster Recovery Partnership received $134,226 to fund the removal of derelict pots from Anne Arundel County waters. It, too, builds on two decades of successful derelict trap removal projects to benefit watermen and improve local waterways.
This year’s TRAP projects must submit standardized data on their progress to the Policy Innovation Lab, a partnership between the Batten School & VIMS and the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The lab’s analysis of this broad dataset will help to prevent trap loss and improve programs to remove them.
Later in the spring, the Batten School & VIMS will solicit proposals for TRAP funding in 2026. For more information, visit trapprogram.org. For more on TRAP, including a list of the 2025 projects that received funding, click here.
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