Bird Flu Management Strategies
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested letting bird flu spread in poultry flocks unchecked, risking increased chances of the virus changing to spread easily among humans. Scientists oppose this strategy as risky and unlikely to yield breakthroughs in finding therapeutics or genetic resistance.
Key Points
- Culling on its own has not stopped bird flu from infecting poultry
- Risk of bird flu changing in dangerous ways increases with unchecked spread
- Vaccinating poultry could be a possible way to mitigate harm
- Stopping culling could reduce the country's food security
- Therapeutics in poultry are currently not seen as a viable solution
Pros
- Identifying birds immune to bird flu
- Testing therapeutics in flocks
- Looking for birds with genetic inclination for immunity
Cons
- Letting bird flu spread unchecked can exacerbate the problem
- Risky strategy with unlikely breakthroughs
- Could lead to serious harm to poultry, other animals, and humans