This week, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said at a Congressional hearing that the US Department of Agriculture is “18 months or so” away from developing a vaccine for the current strain of bird flu and is planning its distribution process.
Data from the agency showed that so far this year, bird flu has been found in eight commercial flocks and 14 backyard flocks, affecting 530,000 poultry.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 81 million poultry and aquatic birds have been killed by avian flu across 47 U.S. states since January 2022.
“We are probably 18 months or so away from being able to identify a vaccine that would be effective for this particular avian flu that we are dealing with now,” Vilsack said.
Due to concerns that other countries could restrict imports of vaccinated U.S. poultry, the USDA would discuss poultry vaccinations with trading partners, he added.
In May, the World Organization for Animal Health said that to prevent its spread from becoming a pandemic, governments should consider bird flu vaccinations for poultry.
In 2023, the U.S. government said that a decision by France to vaccinate ducks against avian flu will trigger restrictions on French poultry imports.
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