How America Lost Control of the Bird Flu, Setting the Stage for Another Pandemic - KFF Health News
kffhealthnews.org
Exclusive reporting reveals how the United States lost track of a virus that could cause the next pandemic. Problems like the sluggish pace of federal action, a deference to industry, and neglect for the safety of low-wage workers put the country at risk of another health emergency.

Keith Poulsen’s jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October. A livestock veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin, Poulsen had seen sick cows before, with their noses dripping and udders slack.

  • Alteon@lemmy.world
    101·
    3 days ago

    Just in time for a Trump Presidency. This is going to go swimmingly. Hold on to your tits folks, shit’s about to get real.

    • leisesprecher@feddit.org
      56·
      3 days ago

      It would be kind of funny if two “once in a century” pandemic happened right during both of Trump’s terms.

    • jonne@infosec.pub
      106·
      2 days ago

      Biden is still President though. It shows that the CDC and FDA have been captured so thoroughly by corporate interests they’re just not fit for purpose any more. That’s not just Trump’s fault, it’s decades of chipping away at those agencies by Republicans and corporate Dems.

      • Alteon@lemmy.world
        4·
        2 days ago

        Stuff like this happens. They are monitoring it. Actions unbeknownst to us are happening. If we get rid of the FDA and CDC, what do you think replaces it? You trust the Cabinet of Trump-supporting billionaires to “think of the people” when coming up with a replacement?

        It’s not like Trump would have done anything different than Biden, given Trump’s history with COVID-19.

        I don’t trust Trump or his cronies to do anything that doesn’t benefit them and their wallets.

        • jonne@infosec.pub
          11·
          2 days ago

          I’m not saying get rid of them, I’m saying strengthen them so they can stand up to corporate interests. I also don’t understand how you could read my post as somehow an endorsement for Trump. Of course he’s going to make things worse, it’s what Republicans do.

          The dynamic has been a ratchet effect since FDR died: Republicans roll back the New Deal, and Democrats just stop the rolling back while they’re in power without managing to reinstate anything because enough of them are also beholden to campaign money.

    • Wahots@pawb.social
      25·
      3 days ago

      As long as there’s a good, available vaccine, IDGAF. I’ll make sure my family gets quadruply vaccinated, and wait for idiots that reject vaccines to start beefing it.

      https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/872/842/1c4.png

      I will be sad for old folks, babies, people who are pregnant, and the immunocompromised though. We just need to learn this lesson sooner rather than later, before it’s something completely fucked up like nipah virus, which will fuck our shit up if we don’t have a damn good vaccine and containment protocols in place.

      • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
        12·
        2 days ago

        I love how naively you think that you’ll be able to get your hands on a vaccine in the US…

        If you’re not in the US, lucky for you!

        • msage@programming.dev
          3·
          2 days ago

          Even if you get vaccines, with an entire continent being absolutely ravaged, you won’t be safe, no matter how far you live. We live in an interconnected world, and do a lot of travel.

          • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
            2·
            2 days ago

            Good point.

            After the inevitable mass deaths, People like rfk should be held accountable for mass murder