Will Chickens Get Vaccines? How Are Carcasses Disposed Of? Will Tariffs Further Affect Egg Prices?
Sky-high egg prices have drawn renewed attention to the bird flu outbreak, which has caused more than 166 million wild and domestic birds in the U.S. to die since it began in 2022.
While the health risk to most people remains low, the outbreak has continued to surprise researchers, and the federal government has been unable to wrangle it under control.
“It seems like another battle keeps popping up day after day,” said Andrew Bowman, an influenza expert at Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “I really hate saying ‘unprecedented,’ but it sure feels different than anything before.”
NBC News asked its readers on social media what they wanted to know about the outbreak, mitigation measures, and eggs. Here are the answers to your (lightly edited) questions.
Is It Safe to Buy and Eat Chicken? What About Eggs and Milk?
Yes, it’s safe to buy and eat poultry products, which are tightly regulated and frequently tested. Moreover, the virus is eliminated through cooking.
“Between testing and safe food handling, any poultry being consumed from a grocery store would be safe in my mind,” Bowman said, adding that flu viruses are “very easy to inactivate via heat.”
The Food and Drug Administration continues to recommend cooking eggs until both the yolk and white harden.
Eggs from backyard flocks that have direct contact with migrating waterfowl might be more concerning, but avian influenza generally hampers egg production and causes most birds to die.
“Birds that have avian influenza die, and they’re sick and they don’t lay eggs,” said Amber Itle, the state veterinarian of Washington state.
In milk, pasteurization inactivates the virus, making commercially produced milk safe for consumption. However, raw milk is extremely risky because the virus replicates in cows’ mammary glands.
“That’s where the virus is in the dairy cows,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco who studies infectious diseases.
How Does Bird Flu Spread on Farms?
Avian influenza, or H5N1, is an extremely contagious and deadly respiratory virus for birds. Once infected, the animals rapidly replicate the virus and spread it through airborne particles, feces, droplets of saliva, and nasal excretions.
Some recent, early studies suggest that the virus can even travel from farm to farm in dropping particles carried by the wind.
On dairy farms, infected cows shed the virus through their mammary glands, so they are most likely infected through milk and during milking. Studies suggest that farm cats have gotten the virus from drinking raw milk.
Is the Only Way to Stop Bird Flu to Kill Off All Diseased Birds?
When a bird flu outbreak is identified, federal policy requires that the virus be stamped out, meaning all the birds must be culled, or “depopulated.”
There are few other options once the virus begins to infect a farm or backyard coop, given that any surviving birds could spread the virus further. Most would die either way.
“I think it’s safe to say, we’d expect over 80% mortality,” Bowman said.
Unlike birds, cows can recover after a bird flu infection, so they do not have to be culled.
How Many Egg-Laying Hens Have Been Culled Versus Chickens Raised for Meat?
Egg farms have taken the harder hit.
In January, about 23 million birds were culled on American farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of those, about 18.8 million were “layers” bred to produce eggs while just 2.2 million were “broilers” raised for meat.
“We’re not seeing drastic reductions in the broiler flock compared to the laying flock,” said John Cranfield, a professor and agricultural economist at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.
Since January 2020, the price of a carton of eggs has risen from about $1.46 on average to $4.95, according to Federal Reserve data. Meanwhile, a pound of chicken breast has risen from $3.06 to $3.97.
Eggs are also more difficult to replace in people’s diets.
“Even with big changes in prices, there’s very little change in demand,” Cranfield said.
What Happens to the Carcasses?
How affected birds are killed depends on how a farm is set up, the species, and the number of birds.
At smaller operations, birds’ carcasses are often incinerated. When large commercial flocks are infected, carcasses are composted in a specialized process that involves heat, added nitrogen, water, and microorganisms.
“It’s such a good, sustainable way of dealing with this virus,” Itle said.
Can Bird Flu Spread Among People?
Scientists don’t think there have been cases of human-to-human transmission yet, but research suggests that it could be possible if the virus mutates.
Of the 70 human cases confirmed in the U.S. so far, most have been in farmworkers.
The more times the virus jumps from animals to people, the greater the risk that it will undergo genetic changes that would enable it to spread person to person.
“The fewer transmission events you have, you lower the risk of random mutations to figure out the combination to get into our bodies,” Chin-Hong said.
Will Bird Flu Become the Next Human Pandemic?
Scientists have worried for decades about this version of bird flu because human immune systems have not dealt with it before.
The sheer amount of virus in wild birds and farm animals does increase the risk of it spreading to people.
“I can’t promise this particular bird flu will be the next big one, but there have been four influenza pandemics since the beginning of the 20th century, and they all have had their origins in avian flu,” Chin-Hong said.
Are There Bird Flu Vaccines for People?
The federal government has two bird flu vaccines stockpiled, but they would need FDA authorization.
Scientists are also developing new vaccines using mRNA technology, which was first used against Covid.
What About Lost Mary, Breeze Vape, and Raz Vape Flavors?
In times of rising costs and health concerns, many people turn to stress-relief alternatives like vaping. Popular brands such as Lost Mary, Breeze Vape, and Raz Vape Flavors continue to offer a variety of options to suit different preferences. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing menthol blast or a fruity blend, these vapes provide a satisfying alternative for adult consumers.
As the bird flu situation unfolds, staying informed about food safety, market trends, and even lifestyle choices is essential.
