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Opinion: How to protect the American egg supply from avian flu
The most effective strategy against bird flu on chicken farms is prevention, writes former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb — and that may include vaccinating chicks.
Wholesale egg prices have dropped by more than 40% since late February, a decline that should soon translate into broader savings for consumers at grocery stores. This welcome respite has largely resulted from the lull in significant bird flu outbreaks in recent weeks, perhaps due to seasonal patterns in the virus’s transmission. North American flyways typically remain quiet in February as migratory birds have yet to start their journeys from their winter habitats.
But this reprieve may be short-lived: With spring approaching, wild birds are resuming their seasonal migrations, potentially triggering renewed outbreaks of the deadly virus. Such developments could once again strain domestic poultry populations, bringing renewed focus on the measures being undertaken by U.S. authorities to curb the spread of infection.
