You Don't Need to Panic about Bird Flu
A primer.
California has reported a possible human case of bird flu.
It’s not the first, and it won’t be the last.
Missouri recently reported the first human case of bird flu in the U.S. "with no known animal contact." Since then, we’ve learned that additional healthcare workers there likely became infected but weren’t tested.
According to Helen Branswell at Stat News, “This makes the second time that possible cases… have come to light well after the fact.” And yet, the CDC continues to insist that “the risk to the public remains low.” Infectious disease expert Michael Mina recently warned, "Given how few people get tested for flu, we have no idea how widespread H5 really is."
As this virus continues to make headlines, the public is left wondering what’s going to happen, whether it will become airborne, whether it’s safe to consume meat or dairy products, and what they should do. They’re not getting clear answers. That leads to panic. It might not be visible, but it’s brewin…