Target: Mandy Cohen, Director of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Goal: Ramp up testing for avian influenza.
A hundred million birds impacted, nearly 1,000 known cattle herds infected, over two billion dollars in investments toward dairy and poultry farms, a mass raw pet food recall, deaths of zoo big cats, an egg and milk shortage: these are just some of the repercussions from the months-long bird flu outbreak that has ravaged parts of the agriculture sector. Dozens of people, mostly farm workers, have also been infected…for now. And they present with symptoms like swollen eyes, nausea, and body aches…for now. Researchers worry that history could repeat itself and, if more diligent action is not taken, the United States – and the world – could have another pandemic on its hands.
Unfortunately, leaders seem to have learned little from their last dalliance with a dangerous disease. Critics contend that in the early days of the avian influenza outbreak, not enough was done to test and contain farm animals who showed clear signs of sickness. Farms often resorted to culling sick animals, often using farm workers who did not have adequate safety gear to perform the culls. While the disease currently appears to spread through contact with sick animals, just a few mutations could make this bird flu more dangerous, more contagious, and easily spread from human to human.
Testing will be key to tracking the spread of this virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has millions of tests available. But red tape is preventing these tests from being deployed where they are needed, especially in agriculture-heavy regions.
Sign the petition below to demand the CDC rectify this urgent problem before it escalates into a full-blown public health crisis.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Dr. Cohen,
Failure to implement prompt and widespread testing in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic led to worst-case outcomes nearly eight times the number compared to nations with similar healthcare advancements. Each worst-case outcome represented countless lives lost or irrevocably changed. Learn from the past.
Ramp up testing availability for H5N1 bird flu, simplify the ability of clinical laboratories to conduct these tests, and magnify outreach efforts toward agriculture communities currently most impacted by this virus. Do not let tragic history repeat itself.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Lucyin
WHY ISN’T THIS COUNTRY VACCINATING FLOCKS AND ZOO ANIMALS AGAINST BIRD FLU, THE WAY THAT EUROPE IS DOING??????????????????????
FFS!!!! When will this fucked up world LEARN HOW TO FARM ANIMALS?????????????????????????????????????????????????
What the fuck do they expect…. treating Animals like fucking machines… forcing them to live in FILTH their whole lives,,, many Animals living among the sick, injured, dead… This is the sort of shit that SHOULD BE ON THE NEWS EVERY NIGHT… The public has the RIGHT TO KNOW what the fuck is happening to ALL Animals in the food & clothing industries! As USUAL the media, Animal Organisations etc are all gagged.. This is how they want it,, more & more people would STOP eating these POOR ABUSED, TORTURED, BRUTALIZED ANIMALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!