Cold & Flu

Could bird flu be as bad as COVID-19?

You may not care about bird flu now, but you might soon. Start here.

Sarah Bonnema

Contributing Writer

Published Feb. 24, 2025

If nothing else, know this: bird flu is a type of influenza that — so far — has primarily spread animal-to-animal, with minimal spreading from animal-to-human. If you don’t interact with wild birds, poultry or dairy cows, you probably don’t need to be concerned right now.

However, you will need to start caring if animal-to-human spreading increases, or if it starts spreading human-to-human.

Here’s more from Aliza Hekman, a physician assistant at Novant Health Infectious Disease Specialists – Winston-Salem.

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Is bird flu different from the flu that humans get?

Both are influenza A infections, but they’re slightly different. The most common subtypes in humans right now are strains of H1N1 or H3N2. The strain scientists are currently concerned about in birds is H5N1.

What’s concerning about bird flu?

A few strains of bird flu, including H5N1, have circulated primarily in wild birds over the last few decades.

Here’s the newsworthy part: in March 2024, H5N1 was detected in baby goats and dairy cows — meaning that the virus jumped from bird to mammal. Now, 16 states have had outbreaks in dairy cows. The concern is that the virus is changing and could begin spreading more easily among people.

Many of us have been exposed to H1 and H3 viruses and have some degree of immunity to those, but the H5 viruses are new to us. The worst-case scenario would be if lots of us got sick, all at the same time, with something that our immune systems weren’t prepared for.

Have people become sick with bird flu?

Yes, but I want to emphasize that the numbers are very, very low so far in the current outbreak. In the U.S., as of February 2025, there have been 69 human cases of H5N1 bird flu and 1 death from H5N1 bird flu.

For perspective: 162 million individual poultry and 972 dairy herds have been affected in the current outbreak.

Importantly: there is no evidence of human-to-human spreading in this outbreak. If it does start jumping between humans, that’s when the level of concern will start to grow.

Who’s at risk for bird flu?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the current risk of H5N1 bird flu is “low” for most people. Those at slightly higher risk include farmers, poultry and dairy workers, people who have backyard chickens, people who work with animals, hunters and bird watchers. Almost all of the human cases so far have been in dairy or poultry workers.

We can get infected through direct contact with infected animals, touching surfaces contaminated by infected animals, or inhaling viral particles from an infected animal. Scientists don’t think it’s spreading through food — if you follow safety guidelines (more on this below).

If you are at higher risk, talk to your doctor about anything you should do to protect yourself.

What are the symptoms of bird flu?

Most cases have been mild. People infected with H5N1 bird flu have reported conjunctivitis (pink eye), fever, fatigue, muscle aches, coughing and shortness of breath, sore throat and congestion. That’s very similar to the list of “usual” flu symptoms. People with the bird flu have been treated with Tamiflu.

If you have symptoms and have been in contact with birds, cows, or other animals that could potentially be infected, make sure to tell your health care provider. They can send your sample for specialized testing if indicated.

Will the flu shot protect me against bird flu?

The seasonal flu shot is designed to protect you against the most common strains in humans. This year, it addresses H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B, which means it likely won’t protect you against bird flu.

A bird flu vaccine for humans is not commercially available, but it’s being worked on. If it ends up being released, poultry and dairy workers would likely get the vaccine first.

Could bird flu turn into a COVID-19 level pandemic?

It’s definitely something we need to keep a close eye on. I’m not going to say that it’s “not possible” for it to be a pandemic like COVID-19, because we learned our lesson about how hard it is to predict the future with COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state, and local health departments are continuing to monitor and are sources for information about how the outbreak may be evolving.

Can we get bird flu from eating eggs or meat?

We don't have any evidence of transmission from eggs or meat. Regular safe handling practices apply: refrigerate it properly, cook it to a safe temperature, wash your hands before and after handling raw meat or eggs, and clean your surfaces after preparing the food.

Are eggs from the grocery store “safer” than eggs from a backyard coop?

The eggs that you buy in the grocery store have already been washed and sanitized before they come to you. If you get eggs from another source, make sure to wash and sanitize them; however, sick chickens usually stop laying eggs, so it’s unlikely that eggshells have bird flu on them.

Can I get bird flu from drinking milk or other dairy products?

There’s a possibility that bird flu could be transmitted through raw milk, so don’t consume raw dairy products or foods made from them. Sometimes food processing gets a bad rap, but pasteurization removes harmful bacteria and viruses without impacting the nutritional value of the milk. Never consume raw dairy products. And don’t feed pets raw milk or meat, either.

I keep hearing that “bird flu” is the reason that eggs are so pricey right now. Explain.

Over 20 million chickens died in the last quarter of 2024 because of bird flu. This means there is a shortage of chickens available to lay eggs, and the price of existing eggs has gone up due to supply and demand.