The USDA Has A 100% Effective Bird Flu Vaccine

The path of the latest variant of bird flu, this one called H5N2, has left a swath of tens of millions of dead birds throughout the Midwest. Egg-laying hens were especially hard-hit; in Iowa, for example, 25 million egg-laying hens were euthanized due to the disease. (There are, it’s worth noting, a few key things you can do to protect your own flock, if you have one.)

The vaccine has already been tested on chickens, which is where that 100 percent figure comes from. Currently it’s being tested on turkeys, and if it’s found to be as effective, it’ll be stockpiled in case of a return of the virus.

And a return is not unlikely; the prevailing theory about the origin of the H5N2 spread is that it was caused by the droppings in wild birds on their migration north for the summer. Those same birds will be taking the reverse trip in the fall, back to the south, and could cause the exact same problem for livestock. The USDA is hoping to have the vaccine ready for that, if it occurs.

But not everyone is excited about the vaccine. According to farmers and agricultural professionals interviewed by the Associated Press, vaccines are risky business. The problem: Tests can’t distinguish between an animal that has been vaccinated and an animal that is simply infected, which has led many countries, including major trading partners South Korea, Japan and South Africa, to institute bans on U.S. poultry. If the USDA mandates vaccination, that could take a huge bite out of the $5.7 billion a year poultry export industry.

Secretary Vilsack is currently meeting with both domestic farmers and foreign trade partners to try to put out the fire, convincing the former to vaccinate and the latter to buy.

It’s not known exactly when the vaccine will be ready; much depends on the upcoming round of testing.