By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted conditional approval for a new bird flu vaccine for poultry.<\/p>\n
This new avian flu vaccine, developed by New Jersey-based Zoetis<\/a>, was approved last week after meeting safety and efficacy standards.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been working with the administration and with Congress, and we\u2019re very excited today to get the licensure for (the vaccine) in poultry, which we think will be a tool that we will help support the government as they deem necessary,\u201d Zoetis’ CEO Kristin Peck<\/a> told CNBC<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n Bird flu has devastated poultry farms across the country, causing egg prices to soar.<\/p>\n Since 2022, the virus has affected more than 150 million birds, including 20.5 million in the last 30 days alone.<\/p>\n The U.S. has traditionally handled bird flu outbreaks by slaughtering (culling) infected flocks, rather than vaccination.<\/p>\n But as the virus spreads to other animals, including cattle and even humans, officials are considering new containment strategies.<\/p>\n National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that the Trump administration is finalizing a plan to combat bird flu without mass culling, CNN <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we need to do is have better ways with biosecurity and medication and so on\u201d to avoid killing chickens, Hassett said. \u201cAnd so having a smart perimeter is what we\u2019re working on, and we\u2019re finalizing the ideas about how to do that with the best scientists in government.\u201d<\/p>\n So far, 68 bird flu infections have been confirmed in people in the U.S. since March 2024, with one fatal case<\/a> in Louisiana earlier this year.<\/p>\n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that the threat to the general public is low<\/a>, though farm workers and backyard poultry owners remain at higher risk.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, egg prices are expected to remain high due to the ongoing outbreak.<\/p>\n The USDA predicts a 20% increase in egg prices this year — far above the 2.2% rise expected for food in general.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the current situation of bird flu<\/a>.<\/p>\n