On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency to streamline the state’s response to avian flu. Greater than half of the human circumstances within the U.S. thus far have been in California.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
This week, California declared a state of emergency for chicken flu. Thirty-six folks on this state have examined constructive, and the virus has additionally been present in 600 cattle herds. Each of these figures are the best within the nation. Now, the virus isn’t but spreading from individual to individual, however officers are involved that the extra folks it infects, the extra alternatives it has to evolve. State officers held a press convention at this time, and Kerry Klein of member station KVPR tuned in. Hello, Kerry.
KERRY KLEIN, BYLINE: Hello there.
CHANG: OK, so earlier than this declaration got here down, I do know that you simply had been reporting fairly a bit on containment efforts within the a part of the state the place a lot of the dairy farms are, proper? What has that been wanting like?
KLEIN: Yeah. Nicely, so for one factor, the state and county governments have handed out greater than 4 million items of private protecting tools, or PPE – issues like gloves, masks, face shields. Officers imagine this virus is primarily spreading by contaminated milk. So this tools is essential to maintain dairy employees protected. It is also essential for poultry employees. And well being officers are additionally making an attempt to spice up testing. They’ve educated clinics to ask about publicity to animals when folks report these signs. However there have been challenges – for example, getting folks to get examined. Employee advocates I’ve spoken with say a variety of employees simply do not know a lot in regards to the virus and its dangers. And Elizabeth Strater of the United Farm Staff Union says there are probably extra circumstances on the market which are being counted.
ELIZABETH STRATER: We have heard from farm employees and neighborhood members and veterinarians that symptomatic employees are clearly nonetheless working.
KLEIN: She says farm employees simply aren’t incentivized to get examined if it might imply misplaced work and misplaced pay whereas they isolate. And different public well being officers have agreed there’s probably been an undercount of circumstances.
CHANG: OK, effectively, at this press convention at this time, did state officers present extra particulars on what their emergency declaration means precisely?
KLEIN: Nicely, very typically, this emergency declaration is to assist direct cash and workers towards containing the virus and stopping extra circumstances, however a variety of questions nonetheless stay. So, for example, the general public well being and agriculture officers who led the press convention did not reply questions on how a lot funding is on the market to satisfy these targets. They did, nevertheless, say that the declaration might improve staffing and broaden work hours for some companies and departments which are responding to the outbreak. And after I requested in the event that they’d fund extra paid sick depart for farm employees, they responded that different issues are priorities for proper now.
CHANG: Nicely, what’s been the response from well being consultants to the emergency declaration?
KLEIN: Nicely, though particulars have been scant, a number of folks have shared optimism about it. One is Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. He is an infectious illness specialist on the College of California San Francisco College of Medication. He mentioned this transfer by the state ought to assist draw consideration to this virus. And as time goes on, he mentioned he is hoping the state will commit to some particular efforts, like extra incentives to check, like that funding for extra paid sick depart. And he desires to see extra focused outreach to farm employees, say, from trusted sources, not simply authorities companies, and contingency plans in case the virus does begin spreading between folks.
CHANG: Yeah. And I assume then the large query on everybody’s thoughts is, is there something folks right here in California and throughout the nation – something we should always do to remain secure?
KLEIN: Nicely, first, well being officers advise folks to not drink uncooked cow’s milk. It hasn’t been pasteurized. And so if it comes from contaminated cows, the virus might nonetheless be reside and infectious. Do not contact useless birds. Do not let your pets contact useless birds. And should you see them within the wild, report them to wildlife authorities.
CHANG: That’s KVPR’s Kerry Klein. Thanks, Kerry.
KLEIN: Thanks a lot.
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