Bird flu cases have increased steadily over the past few months, particularly among farmworkers who come into close contact with cows. Science reporter Katherine J. Wu spoke with me about her level of concern and the government’s response.
Wu began by saying her initial concern was “medium,” which she expressed in April after a dairy worker became infected with bird flu. Now, she has upgraded her concern to “medium-plus.” However, unless evidence of human-to-human transmission becomes more evident, Wu is hesitant to move beyond that level of worry.
The current situation suggests that bird flu may be spreading among farmworkers, but Wu cautions against jumping to conclusions about human-to-human transmission without strong evidence.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/01/how-worried-to-be-about-bird-flu/681331