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. to this point have been in California.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
This week, California declared a state of emergency for chook flu. Thirty-six individuals on this state have examined optimistic, and the virus has additionally been present in 600 cattle herds. Each of these figures are the very best within the nation. Now, the virus will not be but spreading from individual to individual, however officers are involved that the extra individuals it infects, the extra alternatives it has to evolve. State officers held a press convention in the present day, 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 just 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. Properly, so for one factor, the state and county governments have handed out greater than 4 million items of non-public protecting tools, or PPE – issues like gloves, masks, face shields. Officers consider this virus is primarily spreading by means of 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 skilled clinics to ask about publicity to animals when individuals report these signs. However there have been challenges – for example, getting individuals to get examined. Employee advocates I’ve spoken with say a whole lot of employees simply do not know a lot concerning the virus and its dangers. And Elizabeth Strater of the United Farm Staff Union says there are seemingly extra circumstances on the market which can be 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 seemingly been an undercount of circumstances.
CHANG: OK, properly, at this press convention in the present day, did state officers present extra particulars on what their emergency declaration means precisely?
KLEIN: Properly, very usually, this emergency declaration is to assist direct cash and employees towards containing the virus and stopping extra circumstances, however a whole lot 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 obtainable to fulfill these targets. They did, nevertheless, say that the declaration might enhance staffing and broaden work hours for some companies and departments which can be responding to the outbreak. And once 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: Properly, what’s been the response from well being specialists to the emergency declaration?
KLEIN: Properly, though particulars have been scant, just a few individuals have shared optimism about it. One is Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. He is an infectious illness specialist on the College of California San Francisco Faculty of Drugs. 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 a couple particular efforts, like extra incentives to check, like that funding for added paid sick depart. And he needs 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 individuals.
CHANG: Yeah. And I suppose then the massive query on everybody’s thoughts is, is there something individuals right here in California and throughout the nation – something we must always do to remain protected?
KLEIN: Properly, first, well being officers advise individuals 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 lifeless birds. Do not let your pets contact lifeless birds. And for those who 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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