What Is Bird Flu? Governments Buy Shots As Risk To Humans Grows

Governments around the world are stocking up on vaccines as bird flu cases continue to rise in animals and people.

The U.K. on Tuesday said it had ordered more than five million shots “to boost the country’s resilience” in case of a pandemic.

The U.S., which has recorded 57 human cases across seven states since April, has announced it will double its stockpile of bird flu (H5) vaccines to 10 million by spring.

What is bird flu?

Also known as avian influenza, this viral disease spreads easily between birds.

Wild birds are good hosts for several types of flu virus, including H5N1, which has become dominant among birds in the Western hemisphere.

It can cross the species barrier and can even spread amongst some non-bird species like cows.

In fact, the disease is on the rise among poultry and cattle, with states including California currently in the midst of a cattle outbreak. It’s also been found in pigs, otters, seals and foxes.

Like other types of bird flu, it’s not well-adapted to humans, but it can cause infections in people.

Almost all the U.S. cases have been tied to exposure to farm animals, with the origin of two human infections — including that of child — still unknown.

In the U.S., it’s mostly caused mild symptoms including pink eye. But some people in Cambodia and Canada have experienced more severe illness.

Can I catch bird flu from another person?

There’s no evidence the disease can spread from person to person. Right now, H5 viruses aren’t good enough at infecting the human upper respiratory tract — the nose, mouth, sinuses, throat and voicebox — to do so, as Professor Ian Brown told the Science Media Centre.

But scientists are concerned at just how many cases are cropping up in the animal world. Bird flu “is presenting on such scale” among animals “that the risk to humans has increased,” said Brown, who is a Group Leader for infectious disease research center, the Pirbright Institute.

“A vaccine stockpile is an important preparedness step should H5 viruses mutate and expand their capability to infect and transmit between humans,” he added.

Should I be worred about bird flu?

Certain flu viruses already represent a concrete risk to humans. Every winter, governments encourage children, the elderly and those with certain health conditions to get flu shots to protect against strains expected to circulate widely that year.

For now, the from bird flu risk to the general public is low.

But, like many types of flu virus, there’s a chance it could become a risk in the future. Scientists are keeping a close eye on a number of flu viruses that could result in a pandemic — something that’s happened more than a dozen times in human history.

The H5 family poses a potential pandemic risk, as do certain viruses in the H2 family, which used to circulate among humans. Back in 1957-58, the H2N2 virus caused a pandemic that killed an estimated 1.1 million people.

Among all flu viruses that hold a pandemic risk today, “H5 is the one that we are most concerned about,” said Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who directs the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford.

This is because of how widely it’s spread among birds and certain mammals, like cows in the U.S. “H5 is out there and we need to do all we can to be prepared,” Pollard told the Science Media Centre.

For governments, this means ordering vaccine supplies and stocking up on personal protective equipment. For individuals, this means exercising good hygiene and avoiding contact with birds or other potentially infectious animals.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has specific guidance to help people that work with farm animals protect themselves against bird flu