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USDA prepared for H1N1, urges accurate reference
Deputy Ag Secretary Kathleen Merrigan told reporters on Thursday, September 10 she expects the H1N1 influenza to hit the U.S. swine herd and when it does, she says USDA is prepared.
“I just hope it’s not big headlines on front pages of newspapers,” said Merrigan. “We know that this is an influenza that spreads, we are preparing for this, and I want to reassure you that every missionary of USDA is engaged in preparing for H1N1, as well as trying to deal with the fallout for producers.”
Deputy Secretary Merrigan was joined by representatives from USDA APHIS, the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The preparations they discussed include developing a vaccine, which they hope to have available by year’s end, they are working through school closure scenarios and reminding people if you’re are sick, stay home, and that includes those farm workers who work around pigs. In the end, Merrigan says they want to be transparent, responsive and responsible when it comes to dealing with H1N1.
AUDIO: Deputy Sec. Kathleen Merrigan’s media briefing (30:00 MP3)
Meanwhile, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack continues to hammer away at what he calls incorrect media references to the influenza strain.
“It is not swine flu,” Vilsack flatly told reporters Thursday morning. Secretary Vilsack says that every incorrect reference to the ailment does damage to an already hurting swine industry.
“You cannot overestimate the impact repetitive mischaracterizations and mislabeling have,” he said, “the difficulty it creates for us to get this market back where it needs to be.”
To this point, Vilsack says H1N1 has been kept out of the U.S. swine herd, but officials are boosting surveillance.
“Should there be any of this detected in swine in America, which up to this point it has not, we will respond effectively and quickly to avoid the spread of the virus,” Vilsack assured.
To that end, the USDA has supplied a “master seed virus” to manufactures to more quickly come up with an animal vaccine.
Brownfield reporter Tom Steever contributed to this article.
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