1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I’m very concerned about the movement of avian flu to dairy cows and want to be assured that the government is using all its tools to avert another pandemic! According to Science Focus: “The US today is one of the most active hotspots for avian influenza transmission. Yet the national response is fragmented. Farm biosecurity measures remain the primary line of defence, even asevidence grows that the virus may be travelling between farms on the wind …. Meanwhile, virologists say monitoring and reporting are weakening. US surveillance varies dramatically between states, complicating assessments of how widespread H5N1 infections really are.  Dr Jeremy Rossman, honorary senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent, says effective containment hinges on broad, coordinated surveillance. “This requires extensive surveillance of infection in multiple animal populations, as well as monitoring and testing for animal workers at these farms,” he says. “This can allow for management of any infected flocks or herds, rapid identification of human spillover cases and early detection of new mutations in the virus that may affect transmissibility.”  But in the US, Rossman argues, that isn’t happening consistently. “The response is more limited and variable from state to state and farm to farm,” he says. “Without strategic and coordinated surveillance and containment, the risks of a human transmissible H5N1 virus will steadily rise, with unknown, but potentially critical consequences.”   I recognize that everything is an uphill battle in this administration, but please raise the alarm and help make sure another pandemic doesn’t stop us in our tracks. Thank you.