Welcome to “Bird Flu Risk? Avian Flu & You, Explained.” I’m glad you’re here for your personalized risk assessment. Let’s break down what you really need to know about bird flu, right now, in late 2025.

First up, your actual risk. According to a joint assessment from the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, and World Organisation for Animal Health, the global public health risk of bird flu—most notably the H5N1 strain—is currently low. Human infections tend to be limited and mostly occur in those with close, frequent contact to infected birds, mammals, or contaminated environments.

Let’s walk through the risk calculator together:

Occupation. If you’re working directly with poultry, dairy cattle, other livestock, or in animal health—think farm workers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse staff, or even wildlife handlers—your risk level is low to moderate. That goes up if biosecurity and hygiene measures aren’t strict, or if personal protective equipment isn’t used properly. Regular backyard flock owners, bird hunters, and anyone who spends time in places where birds or livestock might be infected should also take precautions.

Location. Bird flu risk is higher in regions with recent outbreaks in animal populations. If you’re in rural areas or countries with ongoing cases in poultry or cattle, stay vigilant. In the United States, detections and outbreaks have declined since early 2025, with no new human cases since February, suggesting lowered risk. Still, sporadic animal cases mean local vigilance is wise.

Age. The older you are, the more your risk for severe illness goes up. According to CDC data, older adults are more likely to get very sick if infected. Infants and young children have been less affected but aren’t immune, particularly in households with poultry exposure.

Health status. Anyone with chronic health conditions like heart disease, respiratory problems, diabetes, or compromised immunity should consider themselves higher risk. Early treatment, ideally with antivirals like oseltamivir within days of symptoms, greatly improves outcomes.

Let’s consider some scenarios.

- If you work in a commercial poultry operation and don’t always wear protective gear, your risk moves from low towards moderate, especially during outbreaks.
- If you have a backyard flock but always wash your hands, keep birds away from wild animal contact, and avoid handling sick or dead animals, your risk is very low.
- If you just buy eggs and chicken at the store and cook them fully, your risk is virtually zero.

Specific advice for high-risk individuals: prioritize protective measures every day. Wear gloves and masks when handling animals, avoid direct contact with sick or dead wildlife, and never consume unpasteurized dairy or undercooked poultry. And if you develop flu-like symptoms after a known exposure, seek medical care promptly.

For most people, the reassurance is this: with sustained surveillance, response, and control measures in place, the chance of bird flu reaching the average person remains very low. Transmission is mainly animal-to-human, and human-to-human spread remains extremely rare.

Your decision-making framework is simple:
If your job or hobbies mean regular exposure to birds or livestock, use protective equipment and follow hygiene protocols. If you’re immunocompromised or older, add extra caution. For everyone else, routine food safety and avoiding contact with sick animals is enough.

Stay vigilant if you’re in direct contact with animals or in outbreak zones; otherwise, don’t worry. Bird flu isn’t spreading widely among people right now.

Thanks so much for listening to “Bird Flu Risk? Avian Flu & You, Explained.” We’ll be back next week with more to keep you informed and confident. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out...