Blythe Terrell

Since the outbreak started in 2022, the avian flu has impacted more than 135 million birds. We're hearing about these super high egg prices, you can't find eggs, which is partly because of bird flu.

Wendy, I have seen reports of eggs smuggling, like people getting busted bringing eggs across the border. Also, like, in New York City, in the Bronx, the bodegas are, like, selling egg loosies. Like, you know, you can usually buy, like, one cigarette at a time. They're selling, like, two eggs at a time.

Wendy, I have seen reports of eggs smuggling, like people getting busted bringing eggs across the border. Also, like, in New York City, in the Bronx, the bodegas are, like, selling egg loosies. Like, you know, you can usually buy, like, one cigarette at a time. They're selling, like, two eggs at a time.

Yeah. And I mean, it is really like blowing up beyond chickens and eggs. So, you know, at this point they found the bird flu in like all sorts of animals, more than 450 species.

Yeah. And I mean, it is really like blowing up beyond chickens and eggs. So, you know, at this point they found the bird flu in like all sorts of animals, more than 450 species.

The UN has called the spread in animals, quote, unprecedented, actually. And then, yeah, like, all this is happening while the Trump administration is making cuts to science and to a bunch of the agencies that handle public health in the US. Right. So with all this going on, we are just getting this steady drumbeat of headlines and news reports saying that this bird flu is the real deal.

The UN has called the spread in animals, quote, unprecedented, actually. And then, yeah, like, all this is happening while the Trump administration is making cuts to science and to a bunch of the agencies that handle public health in the US. Right. So with all this going on, we are just getting this steady drumbeat of headlines and news reports saying that this bird flu is the real deal.

No more boy who cried wolf Wendy. It's only a matter of time before this thing could totally blow up and land us in another global pandemic.

No more boy who cried wolf Wendy. It's only a matter of time before this thing could totally blow up and land us in another global pandemic.

Oh, man. Are they right? That's what we're going to find out after the break.

Oh, man. Are they right? That's what we're going to find out after the break.

Okay, yeah, so I want to start actually by talking about why exactly this bird flu scares the crap out of us so much.

Okay, yeah, so I want to start actually by talking about why exactly this bird flu scares the crap out of us so much.

And a huge reason is that generally speaking, this type of bird flu, H5N1, can be really deadly for humans. Like, some of the warnings out there say that if we do get a bird flu pandemic, it could kill 100 million people. Why do they think that? Yeah, so there's a couple reasons, right? So, you know, if you look at past flu pandemics, like, often a lot of people get sick.

And a huge reason is that generally speaking, this type of bird flu, H5N1, can be really deadly for humans. Like, some of the warnings out there say that if we do get a bird flu pandemic, it could kill 100 million people. Why do they think that? Yeah, so there's a couple reasons, right? So, you know, if you look at past flu pandemics, like, often a lot of people get sick.

And this flu has a really high fatality rate. So when humans get this kind of bird flu, it tends to kill 50 to 60 percent of the people who get it. And, you know, with the caveat that there are some people who get bird flu and we don't know about, so maybe that death rate is a little high.

And this flu has a really high fatality rate. So when humans get this kind of bird flu, it tends to kill 50 to 60 percent of the people who get it. And, you know, with the caveat that there are some people who get bird flu and we don't know about, so maybe that death rate is a little high.

But still, I mean, over the past few decades, on and off, about 1,000 people have been diagnosed with this, H5N1, and about half of them have died.

But still, I mean, over the past few decades, on and off, about 1,000 people have been diagnosed with this, H5N1, and about half of them have died.

So when bird flu gets really bad in a person, they can get this terrible fever, they can't breathe, they might go into respiratory failure, and sometimes their organs will fail too. They can get inflammation in their brain. It can be really bad. So bird flu has been going around for a while now, every now and then, killing people over the last 20 years.