News

CDC to invest in rural health, H5N1 prevention

The Centers for Disease Control will invest ten million dollars in two new projects to protect the health of farmworkers.

Wisconsin’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Director, Dr. Keith Poulson tells Brownfield some funding will go towards developing an avian influenza vaccine. “About 250 million dollars to help develop H5-specific RNA subunit vaccines, so very similar using the technology we used for COVID vaccines.”

Poulson says any increase in public health infrastructure for rural and underserved communities is welcome, as many farm workers cannot access existing medical providers.  “We’re working with largely an imigrant, migrant labor force which also has its other challenges, whether it’s economically or politically to provide public health.”

Poulson says the CDC would work through state and county health departments to offer seasonal flu and possibly other vaccines on-the-farm, and that would improve health by keeping the seasonal baseline of infection down. “If we had something like an H5, if it were to change, even if it’s a very low risk, we would at least be able to improve the health overall of the labor force that’s working on Wisconsin and U.S. dairies.”

The first is $5 million from the CDC will fund partner organizations to expand testing of symptomatic farmworkers.  The National Center for Farmworker Health will receive nearly $4 million to disseminate health education materials to farmworkers and increase access to testing, treatment, and seasonal influenza vaccines.  Another million dollars will fund NIOSH Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health. 

AUDIO: Dr. Keith Poulson discusses the CDC proposal, differences between the states in managing H5N1, Colorado’s bulk tank testing and more with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.