--- title: It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu description: Crystal Heath and Gene Baur explore the dire consequences of underestimating bird flu. canonical: https://time.com/7200002/bird-flu-outbreak-denial-essay/ author: TIME article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-12-06T12:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:49:01.134Z article:section: Ideas og:title: It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu og:description: Crystal Heath and Gene Baur explore the dire consequences of underestimating bird flu. og:url: https://time.com/7200002/bird-flu-outbreak-denial-essay/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt83bef92318f88e9b/698b247adb29877dc92733a6/bird-flu-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2309 og:image:height: 1299 og:image:alt: bird-flu-2024 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu twitter:description: Crystal Heath and Gene Baur explore the dire consequences of underestimating bird flu. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt83bef92318f88e9b/698b247adb29877dc92733a6/bird-flu-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=26961085-6c64-4909-872e-04b45d0d304e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Bird Flu: What's At Risk For You [Watch (HLS stream): Bird Flu: What's At Risk For You](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/h7ByYR2R.m3u8) (4:43)  _Published 2025-01-16. You’ve probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. So, what is it? Do you need to worry, and can you protect yourself? TIME Senior Correspondent Alice Park explains this latest outbreak of bird flu - also called H5N1 Avian Influenza - after officials reported the first death from virus in the U.S._ by [Crystal Heath](https://time.com/author/crystal-heath/) and [Gene Baur](https://time.com/author/gene-baur/) Dec 6, 2024 12:00 PM UTC You’ve probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. So, what is it? Do you need to worry, and can you protect yourself? TIME Senior Correspondent Alice Park explains this latest outbreak of bird flu - also called H5N1 Avian Influenza - after officials reported the first death from virus in the U.S. by [Crystal Heath](https://time.com/author/crystal-heath/) and [Gene Baur](https://time.com/author/gene-baur/) Dec 6, 2024 12:00 PM UTC Since the beginning of the bird flu outbreak nearly three years ago, state and federal departments of agriculture have had one goal in mind: Maintain consumer confidence—as tens of millions of birds are culled and [taxpayers bear the cost of industry bailouts](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/science/bird-flu-aid-animal-welfare.html). Every new media report of an infected dairy herd, poultry flock, or farm worker comes with the ubiquitous [industry-approved mantra](https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/24128700/bird-fludairy-meat-industry-h5n1-cows-milk-eggs-safety), “Don’t worry, the meat and the milk are safe.” But this messaging deflects from the production methods that have enabled the virus to spread in ways yet to be fully understood. Case in point: on November 19, a California child with no known contact with an infected animal [tested positive](https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-11-20/california-child-tests-positive-for-bird-flu#:~:text=%2522California%2520has%2520identified%2520a%2520possible,said%2520in%2520a%2520news%2520release.) for avian influenza and, just seven days before that, a previously healthy teenager in British Columbia was [hospitalized](https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/canadian-teen-suspected-avian-flu-critical-condition) in critical condition with the virus. Investigators are still unsure how the patients acquired it. And with highly pathogenic avian influenza now [infecting pigs](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-11012024.html#:~:text=On%2520Wednesday%252C%2520October%252030%252C%25202024,pig%2520in%2520the%2520United%2520States.), we are one step closer to the next pandemic. Pigs can foster the creation of a more virulent and transmissible human pathogen due to their ability to [harbor both avian and human influenza viruses](https://theconversation.com/bird-flu-detected-in-pigs-heres-why-virologists-are-concerned-242623#:~:text=Mixing%2520vessels&text=Pig%2520cells%2520can%2520be%2520infected,have%2520been%2520an%2520isolated%2520incident.). Yet, officials continue to dismiss those voicing concerns, calling for more subdued messaging so as not to foster panic—and time and time again, the industry narrative is refuted. We were told the virus doesn't spread from [cow to cow](https://www.ncba.org/ncba-news/news-releases/news/details/37228/ncba-statement-on-hpai-detected-in-dairy-cattle); that was quickly [proven false](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/news/sa%5Fby%5Fdate/sa-2024/hpai-dairy-cattle-update). In [June](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/inside-the-bungled-bird-flu-response), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack told scientific experts the virus would just “burn itself out,” only to have the virus [explode in California ](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal%5FHealth/HPAI.html)a few months later. We’ve seen this type of thinking before. It’s reminiscent of Stockton Rush’s ominous assurances before the [doomed Titan sub](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgn39epv85o) made its final descent in June 2023\. The leader of the private sea exploration firm, Oceangate, [told](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7819kx4498o) his former director of marine operations David Lochridge, “No one is dying.” But, footage of [piles of dead cows](https://abc7news.com/post/dead-cows-side-road-shows-aftermath-bird-flu-outbreak/15447125/#:~:text=In%2520California's%2520South%2520Valley%252C%2520a,of%2520a%2520bird%2520flu%2520outbreak.) awaiting pickup by rendering trucks on California roadways has inspired [further questioning](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/cows-dead-bird-flu-rot-california-heat-bakes-dairy-farms-2024-10-17/). It brings to light the dire consequences of this unprecedented outbreak. And we have a right to know what is happening. Our food systems, heavily dominated by concentrated animal feeding operations, facilitate the spread of pathogens. In crowded and filthy conditions, turkeys and chickens (as well as other farmed animals and human workers) are vulnerable to diseases like bird flu. Meanwhile, our exploitation of animals, both farmed and wild, on a massive scale is putting public health at immense risk. In fact, [over 75% ](https://www.emro.who.int/fr/about-who/rc61/zoonotic-diseases.html)of emerging human pathogens are zoonotic in origin. **Read More:** [_Is It Time to Worry About Bird Flu?_](https://time.com/7176238/bird-flu-should-you-worry/) After learning the unsavory truth about the industry, informed consumers are beginning to become conscientious objectors to the oppression of our fellow animals by avoiding products derived from their exploitation. Despite fluctuations in consumer demand, animal agriculture receives billions of dollars of public support to ensure its survival in the face of changing consumption habits. In fact, 73% of dairy profits come from some form of subsidy, according to a [2015 report](http://www.greyclark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/US-Subsidies-Post-2014-Farm-Bill-FEB-2018.pdf) made for the dairy industry. When animal welfare or public safety concerns make headlines, the industry responds with claims that it is [highly regulated](https://www.kcra.com/article/consumer-reports-forever-chemicals-found-in-some-milk/61534180). But just who is regulating it? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is known to be friendly to agribusiness and knows that transparency about the harsh realities of infectious disease outbreaks would diminish consumer trust and threaten its prime directive: To expand markets for producers. The actual animal welfare and public health disaster is often handled with the callousness and [obfuscation](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/inside-the-bungled-bird-flu-response?srsltid=AfmBOooJb-isJZ7umT8PmB5PCW4EBueRvsEKsRuH9TTNgoxXlgTcx7Ds) emblematic of an industry that profits from separating mothers from their babies to sell cows’ milk to misguided human consumers. Veterinarians take an oath to protect animal welfare and public health and play a key role in mitigating disease threats. But veterinarians have been silenced, threatened, and even [fired](https://www.statnews.com/2024/07/03/bird-flu-outbreak-turns-dairy-veterinarians-into-avian-flu-deputies/) for not toeing the industry line during this unprecedented bird flu outbreak. Producers always claim they treat their animals well because healthy, happy animals are the [most profitable](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrXFqvLwsuo). But when those same animals succumb to infectious diseases, adverse weather events, natural disasters, or predator attacks, they shirk their responsibilities, and the public is forced to [foot the bill](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/livestock-indemnity). Most businesses would pivot when faced with recurring disruptions and losses or when they forecast high levels of risk on the horizon—but not animal agriculture. Instead of using innovation to shift to responsible and resilient animal-free food production, they can rely on government handouts, [$38 billion a year](https://scet.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/CopyofFINALSavingThePlanetSustainableMeatAlternatives.pdf) according to a study by U.C. Berkeley’s Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology[,](https://scet.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/CopyofFINALSavingThePlanetSustainableMeatAlternatives.pdf) to enable their current business model. Instead of using technology to create more ethical food production methods, these advancements have brought us genetic selection, milking robots, vaccines, antibiotics, and hormones, advancing us toward a dystopian future wherein animals are forced to produce more meat, milk, and eggs than nature ever intended. As this recent, unprecedented multi-species outbreak shows, our dependence on mass-produced animal protein has entered us into an [ever-escalating arms race against nature](https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.add6681). Our adversaries are pathogenic viruses and bacteria that are constantly evolving and becoming resistant to pharmaceutical interventions. Every few years, another major crisis arises in the animal-based protein industry. Each time it happens, the sector seems bewildered and caught, yet again, completely [off-guard](https://theintercept.com/2020/05/29/pigs-factory-farms-ventilation-shutdown-coronavirus/). Like the Oceangate team, these multibillion-dollar businesses are in denial, ignoring numerous red flags while doggedly carrying on with the same outdated method of protein production. Instead of welcoming diverse perspectives and reflecting on their model, they retaliate against those of us who voice concerns, labeling critics “[extremists](http://www.egg-news.com/Share.aspx?Site%5FCopy%5FID=245470)” out to cause the industry harm and take away our food choices. It’s a business model that incentivizes secrecy and inhumane practices. In 2015, producers and officials struggled to figure out ways to exterminate massive flocks quickly as an outbreak of bird flu led to the extermination of an estimated [50 million](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/media/document/2086/file) commercially raised poultry across the U.S. As the COVID-19-induced bottleneck closed slaughterhouses due to worker illnesses, pig producers [resorted to](https://www.aspca.org/about-us/press-releases/more-2900-veterinary-professionals-call-avma-prevent-brutal-ventilation) sealing up buildings, pumping in heat and steam, and waiting hours for their excess pigs to die in a process known as ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+). The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) states that VSD+ should be reserved for only “[constrained circumstances](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/avma-guidelines-depopulation-animals),” but when bird flu struck again in 2022, the poultry industry’s failure to plan led VSD+ to become one of the most [commonly](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36611748/) used methods of killing. What’s more, taxpayers were forced to [bail out producers](https://www.ourhonor.org/blognew/bailouts) while those same billion-dollar companies made [record profits](https://calmainefoods.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/cal-maine-foods-reports-results-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2024). It’s a system that rewards businesses that act in irresponsible and callous ways toward the animals with a recklessness that also jeopardizes public safety and the health of workers. We need to come to terms with the reality that our public health is threatened by an ever-evolving virus that has already infected dozens of people, with [7% of farm workers](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7344a3.htm) showing evidence of infection. Our economy is also at risk: [3.5%](https://www.idfa.org/news/u-s-dairy-industrys-economic-impact-totals-753-billion) of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product is tied to the dairy industry’s precarious production method. While individual [consumers’ choices](https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/363275/meat-industry-lobbying-usda-animal-rights-progressive-movement-vegetarianism) are often at the mercy of industry marketing, businesses can base their decisions on a thorough analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Those dependent on animal-based ingredients must look to the future and start replacing animal-based with animal-free protein in their products, not only for their financial security but for public and planetary health. Let’s learn from the fate of other public health disasters, get out before it’s too late, and end our dependence on this industry _before_ the walls close in. ## Transcript [00:00] You've probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. [00:05] New cases of the bird flu are raising alarms among health officials [00:08] America's first severe human case of h5n1 bird flu. [00:14] So what is it? Do you need to worry and can you protect yourself? [00:18] Bird flu is also called h5n1 Avian Influenza. [00:23] This recent outbreak began in 2024, [00:26] and what has experts concerned is that it's not only infected millions of birds, [00:31] but the virus has also spread to dairy cattle and other mammals, [00:36] including goats, foxes, and house cats. [00:39] And increasingly, it's been diagnosed in humans. [00:42] A US man over age 65 with other health conditions [00:46] became the first to die with h5n1 infection in early 2025. [00:52] Breaking tonight the nation's first human death from the bird flu just reported. [00:56] Down from Louisiana here. The Department of Health There. [00:59] Listen to this. The first person has died from bird flu. [01:03] Genetic analysis of the virus from that man suggests that [01:07] h5n1 mutated in his body after he became infected. [01:12] The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [01:15] has said these mutations are concerning, [01:17] but not a cause for alarm. [01:19] Yet, symptoms of h5n1 infection can resemble those of more common illnesses. [01:26] Many of the people in the US who have caught bird flu are [01:29] farm workers who have come into direct contact with infected cattle or poultry. [01:34] They have developed relatively mild symptoms, [01:37] including conjunctivitis like eye issues, [01:40] eye redness, and discharge from the eyes. [01:43] Dairy workers who milk infected cows are especially at risk, [01:47] since the virus can enter their eyes from milk that sprays into their face. [01:51] Bird flu can also cause respiratory and classic flu like symptoms, [01:56] including cough, runny nose, [01:58] fever, sore throat, body aches, headaches, [02:02] fatigue, shortness of breath, [02:04] and even pneumonia, the CDC says. [02:06] As bird flu continues to spread, [02:09] work on a vaccine is underway to protect the public in the event of a pandemic. [02:14] Several companies, including Maderna, [02:17] Pfizer, and Glaxo Smith Kline, [02:20] which is working with Kvak are developing an MRNA vaccine, [02:25] using the same technology that was used in the COVID 19 shots. [02:29] In July, the US government awarded [02:31] Maderna $176 million to develop its updated MRNA h5n vaccine. [02:39] All of these MRNA vaccine candidates are in [02:42] early stages of testing in people for safety and efficacy. [02:47] In 2024, scientists led by a team at the CDC reported that [02:52] an MRNA based h5n1 vaccine helped [02:56] ferrets generate strong antibody responses against the virus. [03:00] Vaccinated animals survived a lethal dose of [03:03] the virus while unvaccinated ferrets died from their infection. [03:08] While creating an MRNA vaccine can be done quickly, [03:12] testing the shot in clinical trials will take longer. [03:15] So in the meantime, several existing vaccines, [03:19] which don't use MRNA technology, [03:21] but do target previous strains of h5n1 exist in the national stockpile. [03:27] Health experts expect they would still provide some protection against severe disease. [03:32] Because the virus is spreading among poultry and dairy cattle, [03:36] the outbreaks are leading to egg rationing and shortages and have led to higher prices. [03:42] While milk prices are not expected to go up, [03:45] the US FDA now tests for the virus in [03:48] commercial milk and other dairy products on a regular basis. [03:51] The agency also advises staying away from raw milk, [03:55] which is not pasteurized, [03:57] a process that can kill the virus. [03:59] Some experts believe dairy workers and others who have [04:03] close contact with animals likely to be infected, [04:06] such as poultry and cattle, [04:07] should be vaccinated to protect them from infection. [04:11] The CDC says that the risk of bird flu is still low for the general public. [04:16] And currently there are no recommendations for anyone [04:19] in the US to get vaccinated against h5n1. [04:23] As with all viruses, [04:25] experts caution that everyone wash their hands carefully, [04:28] avoid touching their face, [04:30] and wear a mask if they may come in contact with infected animals. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7200002/bird-flu-outbreak-denial-essay/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7200002/bird-flu-outbreak-denial-essay/"},"headline":"It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu","datePublished":"2024-12-06T12:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T07:49:01.134Z","description":"Crystal Heath and Gene Baur explore the dire consequences of underestimating bird flu.","url":"https://time.com/7200002/bird-flu-outbreak-denial-essay/","keywords":["health","freelance"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt83bef92318f88e9b/698b247adb29877dc92733a6/bird-flu-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Crystal Heath","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/crystal-heath/"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Gene Baur","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/gene-baur/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt83bef92318f88e9b/698b247adb29877dc92733a6/bird-flu-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"bird-flu-2024","caption":"","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/health/","name":"health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7200002/bird-flu-outbreak-denial-essay/","name":"It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Bird Flu: What's At Risk For You","description":"You’ve probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. 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