A new report by health policy organization KFF reveals that fear of deportation is keeping dairy and poultry workers from seeking medical care, undermining efforts to prevent a potential bird flu pandemic in the United States.
Dairy and poultry workers have accounted for most U.S. bird flu cases. Detecting and treating infections early is critical to stopping the virus from spreading or mutating into a more dangerous form.
"People are very scared to go out, even to get groceries," says Rosa Yanez, an outreach worker at Strangers No Longer in Michigan. Many workers avoid contact with health teams, fearing immigration enforcement.
Since March 2024, about 65 dairy and poultry workers have tested positive for bird flu, but experts warn that patchy surveillance likely leaves many cases undetected on farms.
Many farmworkers describe an intensifying climate of fear since the change in administration this January. "Many people don't go to the doctor right now because of the immigration situation," says a Latina outreach worker speaking anonymously.
Last year, the CDC launched a targeted flu vaccine campaign for over 200,000 livestock workers to reduce the threat of co-infection. Yet vaccination rates fell sharply after immigration raids began in January.
"They wanted medical care. They wanted flu vaccines. They wanted personal protective equipment. But they were afraid to go anywhere because of immigration enforcement," says Anna Hill Galendez, managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.
Antonio De Loera-Brust of the United Farm Workers highlights the stakes: "Every time a worker gets sick, you're rolling the dice, so it's in everyone's interest to protect them. The virus doesn't care what your immigration papers say."
Public health officials warn that each human infection offers the virus an opportunity to evolve. Building trust and ensuring safe, accessible care for all farmworkers will be key to stopping the next pandemic threat at its source.
Reference(s):
Report: Immigration crackdown hinders bird flu prevention in U.S.
cgtn.com
