As rates of avian flu continue to rise across the country and drive up the cost of eggs, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference on Thursday, March 6, calling on the Trump administration to take action to develop and approve a vaccine for poultry and contain the outbreak.

 

As reported, live poultry markets in New York were back open after a five-day closure was implemented by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday, Feb. 7, after the avian flu/bird flu or H5N1 virus was discovered in bird flocks at seven live bird markets in The Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. Officials said the ordered closures were mandated for testing, cleaning and disinfection of poultry markets in New York City, Westchester and Long Island.

On Jan. 28, the New York State Department of Agriculture (DOA) issued a health alert for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), writing, “To date, 30 flocks in New York State have tested positive for HPAI since February 2022.” Read our previous story on those bird flu outbreaks here.

 

In the meantime, according to officials from Gillibrand’s office, bird flu has been found in 44 of New York’s 62 counties and has forced farmers to cull more than 150 million birds around the country, including 100,000 at one farm on Long Island alone. They said a new strain of the disease has since been found in cattle; its spread would be devastating to New York’s dairy farmers and could pose a serious threat to human health if the strain continues to evolve.

Nevertheless, officials from Gillibrand’s office said the Trump administration has stopped releasing crucial data on the spread of bird flu and has fired federal workers responsible for tracking cases and managing the federal response. Gillibrand is calling on the administration to take action to address the outbreak and support the development and approval of a vaccine to bring down the cost of eggs, reduce the need to depopulate flocks, and safeguard public health.

 

“Avian flu is decimating bird populations, and the subsequent shortage of egg-laying hens is making eggs unaffordable for working New Yorkers,” said Gillibrand. “President Trump must act now to contain this outbreak.”

She added, “I am urging him to do everything in his power to prioritize the development of a vaccine to inoculate chickens against avian flu and fulfill his campaign promise to bring down grocery prices. I am alarmed that the administration limited the data shared with the scientific community and am urging full transparency. This deadly disease requires a whole of government response to be enacted immediately.”

 

The full text of the senator’s letter to leadership at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative can be read here.