The Indiana State Honest is exhibiting prize dairy cows, amid the specter of chicken flu that has been detected in cattle from 13 states.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
We’re smack-dab in the course of state truthful season, and this yr, well being consultants are nervous that chicken flu may unfold. From the Indiana State Honest, here is Aspect Results Public Media’s Ben Thorp.
BEN THORP, BYLINE: State gala’s are recognized for issues like Ferris wheels, corn canine, sculptures made fully from butter and the most important pig within the state.
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THORP: State gala’s additionally convey people and animals from farms throughout the state into shut contact, the place it is simpler to unfold illness. That is a specific concern this yr. Chook flu infections have been confirmed in dairy cows in 13 states. The virus has even given some dairy staff gentle infections.
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THORP: However not everybody appears to find out about that. Mel Ventimiglia stands in entrance of a number of cows along with his grandkids inside the cattle barn on the Indiana State Honest in Indianapolis. He says chicken flu is not even on his radar.
MEL VENTIMIGLIA: I have not heard it – anyone point out it aside from you.
THORP: Yeah.
VENTIMIGLIA: And hopefully I will overlook it fairly shortly.
THORP: (Laughter).
Cattle farmer Randy Mason says he follows fundamental precautions to maintain his cattle from getting sick whereas on the truthful, however he isn’t significantly nervous.
RANDY MASON: Quite a lot of that, I – in my view, will get overblown to some extent. They get one or two circumstances, after which it turns into – like every part the federal government does, it turns into overblown and out of proportion.
THORP: However scientists fear the virus may mutate from being a cow virus to being a human virus. At some state gala’s, officers have enacted stricter guidelines this yr to maintain the virus from spreading. In Minnesota, which has detected circumstances of chicken flu inside its dairy cattle, the state requires all cows to have a unfavourable chicken flu take a look at earlier than they arrive to the state truthful. That is not the case in different states, together with Indiana. Here is Bret Marsh. He is the Indiana state veterinarian.
BRET MARSH: Since we have not had a analysis, we have not put these further measures in. States like Minnesota have had the analysis in dairy herds of their state, in order that they’ve taken further measures.
THORP: The issue is, although, scientists broadly agree there may be not sufficient testing happening to totally perceive which states have cows contaminated with chicken flu.
AMESH ADALJA: The belief needs to be this virus is within the state of Indiana. We simply have not discovered it but.
THORP: That is Amesh Adalja, he is a senior scholar for the Johns Hopkins Middle for Well being Safety. He says states like Indiana haven’t any constructive circumstances as a result of they are not on the lookout for them.
ADALJA: That is what they need to be messaging – not our cows are free. That is silly to imagine.
THORP: Regardless of these considerations, some consultants say that is not a motive to overlook out on the state truthful. Here is Andrew Bowman.
ANDREW BOWMAN: I am nonetheless going to the truthful. Household’s nonetheless going to the truthful. Shoot, I had a milkshake once I was there.
THORP: Bowman is a professor of veterinary preventative medication at The Ohio State College. He says at-risk populations, such because the immunocompromised, ought to think about avoiding the cattle barn this yr.
BOWMAN: You recognize, train warning and actually form of take into consideration which contacts they should have. And may I benefit from the animal reveals perhaps from a little bit additional distance and never get proper in the course of it?
THORP: The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention have issued recommendation for state gala’s to reduce the dangers of chicken flu spreading. For example, farmers should not dump uncooked milk on the bottom, and cows from totally different herds needs to be stored aside. However, they are saying, the danger to people from the chicken flu virus stays low.
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THORP: So wash your palms after visiting the cattle barn, however do not let that cease you from using the Ferris wheel or consuming a deep-fried Oreo – or a butter stick if you happen to’re into that. For NPR Information, I am Ben Thorp in Indianapolis.
SUMMERS: That story is from NPR’s reporting partnership with Aspect Results Public Media and KFF Well being Information.
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