Editorial: Big decision on bird flu
As a community newspaper, we often have to weigh the value — or perhaps resist the temptation — of reporting on larger national issues as opposed to the hyper-local coverage our readers expect and deserve. But sometimes, national news hits us on a local level in ways we must acknowledge and certainly can’t ignore.
Such was the case in January, when Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue abruptly closed due to an outbreak of bird flu. The farm, which has been in operation since 1908 and is the source for 3.5% of all ducks sold in the United States, was forced to cull 99,000 animals and lay off most of its staff. Owner Doug Corwin told The Suffolk Times that he plans to reopen, but the business was badly damaged and the outbreak has led to fear and uncertainty here and elsewhere about the dangers of H5N1 avian flu.
Typically, in such scenarios, concerned parties would look to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for information.
But recently, the Trump Administration clamped down on what the CDC is allowed to do and say regarding guidance and oversight, going so far as to restrict the agency from communicating directly with the World Health Organization about monitoring efforts of global diseases.
In another move that potentially limits its effectiveness — intentionally or not — hundreds of CDC employees have recently been fired, including members of the Laboratory Leadership Service, aka “disease detectors,” as one terminated worker described the group to NBC News.
While the CDC does currently provide information about H5N1 on its website, including up-to-date data on human deaths — only one of which has been confirmed to date — the cutting of resources on such a sweeping scale is cause for concern.
In the case of Mr. Corwin’s generations-old family business, hope remains that Crescent Duck Farm will be able to bounce back thanks to roughly 10,000 eggs that have been preserved. But Mr.
Corwin is concerned that long-running reluctance surrounding federal approval of a bird flu vaccine — currently in use in dozens of other countries — could open the door to similar catastrophes in the future.
There is precedent for vaccines to be fast-tracked in the case of major diseases. Operation Warp Speed, approved by President Donald Trump at the tail-end of his first term, allowed COVID-19 vaccines to be developed, manufactured and distributed at an accelerated pace, slowing the spread of the pandemic and no doubt saving lives. H5N1 is currently not considered a major threat to humans — a trend we certainly hope continues — but just last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture conditionally approved the use of a vaccine to protect commercial poultry flocks, which have been decimated by outbreaks since a new strain of H5N1 emerged domestically in 2022. Researchers are all but certain that the virus is now “endemic” in U.S. flocks, making it unlikely that culling alone will suffice in containing its spread. Despite the USDA’s tentative approval, U.S. farmers still cannot use the vaccine pending formal federal review, leaving the final decision in the hands of Trump administration officials. While we certainly can’t cover every executive order and new mandate coming from the White House, given the impact this decision could have on our community — from grocery store bills to the viability of local industries — this is one we will continue to monitor closely.
