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 date have been in California.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
This week, California declared a state of emergency for chicken flu. Thirty-six individuals on this state have examined constructive, 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 just isn’t 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 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 just had been reporting fairly a bit on containment efforts within the a part of the state the place many 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 private protecting tools, or PPE – issues like gloves, masks, face shields. Officers imagine this virus is primarily spreading by means of contaminated milk. So this tools is necessary to maintain dairy staff protected. It is also necessary for poultry staff. And well being officers are additionally attempting to spice up testing. They’ve educated 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 loads of staff simply do not know a lot concerning the virus and its dangers. And Elizabeth Strater of the United Farm Staff Union says there are possible extra circumstances on the market which can be being counted.
ELIZABETH STRATER: We have heard from farm staff and neighborhood members and veterinarians that symptomatic staff are clearly nonetheless working.
KLEIN: She says farm staff 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 possible 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: Properly, very typically, this emergency declaration is to assist direct cash and workers towards containing the virus and stopping extra circumstances, however loads 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, nonetheless, say that the declaration might improve 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 staff, 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, despite the fact that particulars have been scant, a couple of 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 College of Medication. He stated this transfer by the state ought to assist draw consideration to this virus. And as time goes on, he stated he is hoping the state will commit to a couple 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 staff, 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 large query on everybody’s thoughts is, is there something individuals right here in California and throughout the nation – something we should always do to remain secure?
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 dwell and infectious. Do not contact lifeless birds. Do not let your pets contact lifeless birds. And in case 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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