Bird flu considerations for employers – An update  

The ongoing bird flu outbreak – the worst in US history – raises concerns beyond soaring egg prices. We covered the basics of bird flu in this June 2024 blog post and unfortunately the outlook has not improved since then. What started as a H5N1 outbreak in poultry and dairy cows has now led to 69 confirmed cases in humans. Almost all the cases have resulted from exposure to infected poultry and cows. The three states with highest rates of the disease are California, Washington and Colorado.  

Current evidence suggests that transmission of the virus from animals to humans is occurring when enough of the virus gets into a person's eyes, nose, or mouth, or is inhaled. This can happen through close contact with infected animals or their environment, or with contaminated unpasteurized milk. Thus far the virus hasn’t mutated for human-to-human transmission. Mild symptoms in humans mimic that of the flu: fever, cough, sore throat, muscle ache, fatigue, and eye redness. People with more severe cases may experience bronchitis, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to the bird flu and develops symptoms should contact a health care provider – and their state or local health department – right away. Common flu antivirals started within 48 hours of symptoms is recommended.  

Action items for employers

For employers in farming or related industries, there are precautions to take to keep employees safe. Ensure they wear personal protective equipment – gloves, masks, face shields, etc. – when working with poultry or other animals, or with equipment, surfaces or materials (e.g., animal litter or bedding material) contaminated with saliva, mucous, or feces from wild or domestic birds or other animals, with confirmed or suspected with H5N1 infection.  

All employers may want to review and, if necessary, update their COVID-19 protocols and policies. Educating employees on the importance of flu vaccination and hand hygiene is always beneficial. Additional cautions specific to bird flu would be to avoid contact with wild or potentially infected animals, and to not consume raw milk or raw milk products.  

So far, the H5N1 bird flu isn’t an epidemic. But it’s worth taking action now to ensure you’re prepared in the event that the virus mutates enough to enable human-to-human transmission.