CDC To Launch Initiative Providing Seasonal Flu Vaccines To Curb Bird Flu Infections In Farm Workers

The Washington Post (7/30, Sun) reports the CDC “is launching a $5 million initiative to provide seasonal flu shots this fall to about 200,000 livestock workers in states hardest hit by the bird flu outbreak.” The Post adds, “Workers on poultry, dairy and pig farms are at greatest risk of being simultaneously exposed to seasonal flu and the H5N1 bird flu that has infected at least 172 dairy herds in 13 states, according to the Department of Agriculture.” Reuters (7/30, Douglas, Steenhuysen) reports the agency “will allocate $5 million to organizations including the National Center for Farmworker Health to educate and train workers on protecting themselves from bird flu, and another $5 million to providing seasonal flu shots to farm workers, [CDC Principal Deputy Director Nirav] Shah said.” CNN (7/30, Christensen) reports the “CDC said with this new initiative, the seasonal flu vaccine will not be mandatory for farm workers.” Instead, “public health officials on a state-level will bring vaccines to workers at local events and to areas where farm workers typically gather.” The AP (7/30, Stobbe) also reports.