by Harry and Donovan, XIIIs. Originally published in the student newspaper, Whole Lotta News. Posted on the site with permission.

The bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a disease spread by infection inside of birds. According to an article in The New York Times on March 18, the bird flu has spread to all 50 states. Though bird flu may seem like a minor problem, it has had a significant economic impact on the poultry industry. The effects include the death and infection of many bird stocks, which are one of the main sources of income for farmers, and the continuous rise of egg prices.

The bird flu has now spread to many species, including humans, and many Americans are taking precautions by staying away from birds and by wearing masks in places that have been affected. When the bird flu first began to spread in America, it started in the southern United States, and it affected only birds.

It can be spread in many ways, and because of this, it started to spread to other animals, such as cats, rodents, bears, and cows. Direct contact of humans to birds is what let the flu spread to us.

The flu has raised the prices of many goods, the main one being eggs. Although the price of a carton of 12 grade A eggs varies, the current average is 5 dollars and 90 cents. This is an all time high in the U.S. as it has doubled the average price that previously remained below 2 dollars. The states with the highest costing eggs are Alabama at 6 dollars and 12 cents per dozen, Florida 6.36 dollars per dozen, and Hawaii with 9.73 dollars per dozen.

Eggs were not the only animal products treated with caution after news of the spreading bird flu. Because cows are one of the species affected by the flu, milk has to be treated more cautiously so we can slow down the spread of this influenza.

Many actions are being taken to stop the bird flu. Documented bird flu cases are being monitored, and animal products are being regulated.

Even though we are not deeply affected by the avian influenza in New York, we should still be staying informed of the most recent health recommendations and taking sensible precautions.

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Header photo by Papan Saenkutrueang and found on Vecteezy.com as a free-to-use image.