Bird flu: Considerations for employers
Current CDC information indicates that the risk for humans of being infected with the H5N1 virus – or bird flu – remains low and that there is no evidence so far that the virus can be transmitted between people. So why are we seeing so many headlines about H5N1?
Let’s start with some background. The virus was first identified in 1996 in a domestic goose in South China. Since that time the virus has infected many birds, both wild and domestic, around the globe. Beginning in 2004, the virus has been found in various mammals that are exposed to the virus via wild birds, including seals, cats and foxes. The new twist in the story came earlier this year when a dairy herd in Texas that was being evaluated because of decreased milk output was found to have H5N1. Since then, there have been positive tests for the virus in 51 herds. The evaluation of the national milk supply showed the presence of viral fragments in 20% of pasteurized milk, but no evidence of a live virus that would indicate that the milk or other milk products are unsafe. High virus levels have been found in unpasteurized milk and it is currently recommended that people avoid unpasteurized milk products.
It is clear that the virus passes between cows. To date, all of the human H5N1 infections have occurred because of direct contact with infected animals or their environment. There has been no transmission between people, as there was (and is) with COVID-19. According to the World Health Organization, there have been 878 cases of H5N1 identified globally since 2003 and 463 deaths.
Why we need to be ready to act
The reason for concern is that, like all viruses, H5N1 has the ability to mutate – and it has done so since it was first identified. It is now able to infect mammals and be transmitted between them. Public health entities and infectious disease specialists are monitoring how fast, and in what fashion, the virus is changing. It is not possible to predict how changes may occur, but we do know that the more a virus spreads, the more opportunity it has to mutate. The Department of Agriculture, the CDC and the FDA are working with farmers to try to limit the spread in dairy cows and other animals.
What can we do to manage risk?
Our focus should be on what to do if the virus becomes capable of being transmitted between people. Planning and preparation for H5N1-specific vaccinations is underway; it has been reported that the US will make millions of doses this summer. Fortunately, it also appears that current flu medications would be effective against this strain of the flu.
Now is a good time for organizations to revisit their pandemic or emergency response protocols that they developed or updated during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most important lessons learned from that very difficult time – a true silver lining – is that teamwork works. In organizations that created pandemic response committees, the interchange between executives and colleagues in HR, Safety, Risk, Communications, and Real Estate not only allowed for rapid action in the face of shifting conditions created by the pandemic but helped to establish a more integrated approach to people and policies – and ongoing opportunities for collaboration.
This virus is likely to be different from COVID-19 even if it were to be become transmissible between people. So far, the people who have gotten sick due to their exposure on dairy farms have not gotten very ill. But we don’t fully understand what symptoms this virus will cause in people or if it will be more serious in other populations such as children and older people.
Of course, we hope that H5N1 won’t become an issue at all. But if it does, it will have less impact on our employees and our businesses if we are ready to respond quickly and effectively.
