by I. Edwards
Well being officers in California at the moment are providing reward playing cards to encourage of us close to farms to get examined for chicken flu.
Clinics run by a state vendor close to affected farms are giving out $25 reward playing cards to individuals who get a swab take a look at for H5N1 chicken flu or obtain a seasonal flu shot.
A CDC van can be visiting some areas to supply testing via its Avian Flu Influenza Space Surveillance Testing (AFAST) mission.
This effort pushes again towards bogus claims on social media suggesting that states have stopped testing farmworkers for chicken flu underneath orders from U.S. Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The CDC confirmed that its steerage has not modified—folks with signs are nonetheless inspired to hunt testing from their physician or native well being division.
A spokesperson for the California Division of Public Well being stated a lot the identical.
Funding for the reward playing cards comes from California’s chicken flu state emergency declaration funds.
“CDC does testing only and offers no incentives of any kind,” the spokesperson added.
Close by states with latest chicken flu outbreaks, akin to Nevada and Idaho, additionally stated they’re persevering with to supply testing and therapy to uncovered farmworkers.
Native and state labs often do the primary take a look at earlier than sending an individual’s pattern to the CDC for affirmation. Well being officers could announce a potential case earlier than it has been absolutely confirmed.
In California, well being officers say they’re additionally checking flu circumstances throughout the state to see if chicken flu is likely to be concerned.
“To date, all samples tested have been confirmed as seasonal subtypes H1 or H3, which rules out infection with H5N1. The fact that no other human cases of H5N1 have been identified via subtyping efforts is reassuring,” the state spokesperson additionally stated.
Extra data:
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has the most recent on the present chicken flu outbreak.
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California provides $25 reward playing cards to spice up chicken flu testing (2025, April 25)
retrieved 26 April 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-04-california-gift-cards-boost-bird.html
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