Governor Newsom is taking proactive measures to strengthen the state’s robust response to bird flu

Ongoing efforts to prevent spread and serious infection

California has mobilized a comprehensive, interagency response to avian influenza in dairy and poultry farms to minimize exposure of farm workers, reduce contamination of raw dairy products, and reduce the spread of the virus. The state has brought local, state, and federal technical and operational expertise to support all facets of the response; worked to educate the public, health care professionals, employers and workers about prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of exposure to avian influenza; provided comprehensive information to employers and workers on personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements; and distributed millions of pieces of PPE to high-risk workers on dairy farms.

Through a coordinated public awareness effort between the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and other agencies, the state is leading an interagency response that includes timely public updatesmultilingual outreach for dairy and poultry workers, targeted efforts on social media to promote preventive practices, online and print resources for the publicand media interviews to keep Californians informed. In addition, the state ensures that agricultural workers have access to additional doses of seasonal influenza vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce concurrent influenza risks.

Officials have also worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control, the US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture, and local health and agriculture officials, as part of a whole-of-government effort to coordinate, implement, and ensure timely surveillance and investigation of potential cases of bird flu.