Amid the rapid spread of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in US poultry farms, US secretary of health, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has proposed a controversial strategy.
Instead of mass culling infected flocks, he suggests allowing the virus to spread naturally to identify and preserve birds with natural immunity.
Kennedy, a well-known antivaccine advocate, has repeated this stance since early March, notably on Fox News, raising alarm among scientists and veterinarians.
Experts warn that letting bird flu run its course could have disastrous consequences. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has killed or led to the culling of hundreds of millions of birds worldwide in recent years. Allowing it to circulate freely could accelerate mutations, increase the risk of transmission to humans and other animals, and…