Dairy and poultry producers offered flu shots – Austin Daily Herald

Mower County dairy and poultry farmers can receive free seasonal influenza (flu) vaccines on their farms, thanks to a new public health initiative to remove barriers to vaccination.

According to a county press release Tuesday afternoon, Mower County Community Health recently sent information to dairy and poultry workers about their flu vaccination efforts with the Flu Immunization Network Initiative. Minnesota (MINI) from Fairview. This extra effort is being driven by concerns about the high severity of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which does not spread easily between people.

Farmers who have too many employees to transport or who are unable to take time away from their intensive production can work with the county’s community health team to bring the vaccination service to them. Getting the flu shot is quick and easy, and it’s even more important this year for farmworkers and others who work with poultry and dairy farms.

“Reducing barriers for people wanting the vaccine is the goal,” said Pam Kellogg, Public Health Manager for the Mower County Department of Health and Human Services.

Under this partnership, Mower County staff will collect information to determine need and, when necessary, Fairview will provide flu vaccination clinics.

Those interested should contact Darr Ehmke or Allison Scott of Mower County Health & Human Services via email at [email protected] and [email protected] or call 507-437-9700.

Other Mower County residents can contact their local pharmacy for assistance in obtaining the flu vaccine. Otherwise, as of now, the county only offers flu shots to children from eligible families at the government center in Austin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a worrying scenario could arise in which a new influenza virus emerges through “reassortment,” which occurs when viruses exchange genetic material while infecting the same cell, potentially creating a new and more serious virus with characteristics of both parental viruses.

Combining the easy transmission of a typical seasonal flu with the high severity of H5N1 could potentially lead to a serious public health crisis, which is why efforts are being made to minimize the chances of such a virus developing through co-infection. and genetic mixing.

If a reassortment event occurs between a circulating seasonal flu and H5N1, the resulting virus could be highly transmissible like seasonal flu but cause severe disease like H5N1, creating a pandemic threat.

Agricultural workers and farm owners, especially those who work on poultry and dairy farms, can be exposed to H5N1 – also called “bird flu” or “highly pathogenic avian influenza” (GAAP). Routine farm service providers, such as veterinarians, truck drivers and hull cutters, as well as family members who live on the farm, may also be exposed to H5N1.

Although the 2024-2025 seasonal flu vaccine does not specifically protect against H5N1, it may provide protection against other influenza infections, illnesses, and disease spread. People can become sick with more than one flu virus at the same time, and when this happens, the different viruses can recombine into a new, potentially more serious virus.

Some of the reasons to get the flu vaccine:

• The flu is caused by a virus that attacks the nose, throat and lungs, causing mild to severe illness and sometimes death.
• Vaccinations are free and do not require insurance.
• Staying healthy means fewer days off from work.
• Getting the flu shot is the best way to keep your family, herd or herd, and yourself healthy.
• Young children, the elderly, and others at risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu depend on others to help lower their risk.
• Everyone aged 6 months and older should get the flu vaccine every year.

More information is available on the CDC’s Flu Resource Center website at: www.cdc.gov/flu-resources