I originally intended to blog once a week, not multiple times daily, but this news story lays open several of the issues we have scratched our heads over related to data transparency and lack of response to what on the surface should be “no brainer” one health coordinated investigations:
'They need to back off': Farm states push back on Biden’s bird flu response - POLITICO
I’m not prepared to make wise comments on the many issues uncovered here. The many roadblocks and fears encountered as this outbreak has unfolded were predictable. however, in all our “exercises” and planning scenarios, we have either ignored or minimized realities, such as:
economic threats to producers from stigmatization by positive findings with uncertain outcomes
inability to obtain cooperation from a shadow workforce under attack by a significant portion of the political establishment
chronic federal-state jurisdictional fears, disputes and misunderstandings
competing objectives within state and federal agricultural and public health departments
the ebb and flow of political support for societal regulatory action (public health and investigational mandates) based on recent events
I’ve been concerned over the years that as One Health has been cheered by all parties as the solution for early detection of and response to the next pandemic, neither the human nor animal sectors have true authority nor stakeholder support to deliver the goods.
The solutions?? Keep up the dialogue, assume the best in our partners, and share any useful information we can gather as rapidly and widely as possible. It’s a group effort!