Why COVID Measures Like Masking And New Ones Like Safety Goggles Could Be Needed If Bird Flu Becomes a Pandemic

Here’s Why COVID Measures Like Masking And New Ones Like Safety Goggles Could Return If A Bird Flu Pandemic Is Declared Experts warn that although scientists don’t know how bird flu may behave if it starts spreading between humans, safety measures will need to be put in place since it has over a 50% mortality rate in humans. Arianna Johnson Forbes

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Experts have cautioned that if a bird flu pandemic is declared, safety measures will need to be put in place to mitigate the spread. Dr. Donal Bisanzio, a senior epidemiologist with the nonprofit research institute RTI International, told Forbes methods like masking and social distancing should be the first implemented. “Those are all the kinds of interventions we need to put in place to buy time for the vaccine,” Bisanzio said.

Justman told Forbes new methods like protective eyewear may be effective safety measures, especially among farm workers who have daily contact with potentially infectious animals. This is because all three U.S. dairy farmers infected with bird flu had eye-related symptoms, including one with upper respiratory symptoms, like pink eye and irritation, indicating the virus may spread when humans touch or rub their eyes with infected hands.

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