Strengthening a One Health approach to emerging zoonoses
A Fight Against The Flu Is A Fight For Our Future
Flu shots are important. (Photo/Association of American Indian Physicians)
Guest Opinion. As a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation, I know firsthand how rich and cherished tribal cultures are - but, as with anything precious, our cultures' longevity depends on a concerted effort.
One dangerous risk facing our Tribal communities today is communicable disease, most notably influenza, also called the flu. This respiratory virus is incredibly contagious, causes mild to severe illness and can lead to serious complications or even death.
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While influenza cases dropped sharply during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — a trend that experts agree is most likely attributed to increased masking and social distancing —the seasonal flu returned with a vengeance last year, resulting in a spike in cases impacting tribal communities. Leading epidemiologists believe there will be a surge in influenza cases again this year.
The uptick in positive influenza cases means it's vital for tribal members across the Indian Country to stay on top of their flu vaccinations.
AI/AN individuals are disproportionately affected by the flu.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu and pneumonia rank among the top 10 leading causes of death among AI/ANs, and Indian Health Service (IHS) studies show that AI/ANs are more likely to be hospitalized due to the flu when compared to the general U.S. Population.
The more recent data from the CDC suggests that seasonal flu activity is increasing in most parts of the country, specifically in the South Central, Southwest and West Coast regions. These regions have the highest numbers of American Indian populations when compared to the rest of the country, further increasing the risk of tribal citizens contracting the flu and subsequent damaging complications.
There are numerous benefits to getting the flu vaccine.
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The flu vaccine helps protect you, your family and others in your community from contracting the flu and any related complications. Babies and young children, Tribal elders and those immuno-compromised with chronic health conditions are at greater risk of contracting and developing complications from the flu.
Research shows getting the flu vaccination reduces the severity of the illness in people who have been vaccinated but still get sick. Vaccination has been proven to reduce complications related to other medical conditions, such as heart attacks and diabetes.
Finally, increasing flu vaccinations in Tribal communities helps safeguard tribal cultures and preserve them for future generations. When you receive the seasonal flu vaccine, you're protecting more than yourself - you're protecting valued traditions, important history and culture bearers who carry so much knowledge for our tribal families and communities.
Flu vaccines are safe, effective and widely available. With limited exceptions, everyone six months and older should get the annual flu vaccine. Contact your local Indian Health Service Clinic, physician, or pharmacy as soon as possible to make an appointment for the yearly flu vaccine.
For our cultures to continue to thrive for generations to come, consider taking the next step toward prevention by staying up to date with your flu vaccination.
Tom Anderson is the executive director of theAssociation of American Indian Physicians, a national association headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla.
About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.Net."
Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.Net
2 Bird Flu Cases Confirmed In Woodbury County
FILE- Turkeys stand in a barn on a farm near Manson, Iowa, Aug. 10, 2015. Nearly 5 million chicken, turkeys and ducks have been slaughtered this year because of a persistent bird flu outbreak that began in 2022, but as big as that number may sound, it's far less than the number of birds killed last year and that means consumers generally aren't seeing as much impact on poultry and egg prices.
Nebraska Reports First Case Of Bird Flu In Poultry Flock Since February
Nebraska officials have reported the state's first case of bird flu in a poultry flock in more than nine months.
The State Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that the highly contagious disease was confirmed in a small backyard flock of fewer than 20 mixed birds in Colfax County.
The last reported case of bird flu in a commercial or backyard flock in Nebraska was in February, although the disease had recently been making a resurgence in surrounding states, especially in turkey flocks in Iowa and South Dakota.
Bird flu also was detected last week in a mallard duck and a Canada goose in Buffalo County, the first detection in wild birds in the state in several months.
"While Nebraska hasn't had any reported cases of (bird flu) for a few months, we are disappointed but not surprised to see another case, as there have been several confirmed cases in surrounding states," State Veterinarian Roger Dudley said in a press release. "Poultry producers need to continue to be vigilant in protecting their flocks."
Bird flu devastated Nebraska's poultry industry last year, with more than a dozen cases in commercial and backyard flocks in the state causing the loss of about 5.5 million chickens, the worst loss from avian flu in Nebraska's history.
Nationwide, bird flu last year cost U.S. Poultry producers nearly 59 million birds across 47 states, including egg-laying chickens and turkeys and chickens raised for meat, making it the country's deadliest outbreak ever, according to USDA figures. The outbreak caused spikes in egg and turkey prices for consumers and cost the government over $660 million.
Nebraska poultry producers told the Lincoln Journal Star a few weeks ago that they are remaining vigilant and alert to the risk of bird flu.
"We remain at the highest level of biosecurity and continue to regularly engage our growers on the importance of enforcing those biosecurity protocols amongst everyone who is connected to the operations," Jessica Kolterman, a spokeswoman for Lincoln Premium Poultry, the Costco-affiliated chicken processing operation based in Fremont, said in late October.
Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of November 2023Brothers Finn, 10, and Jaxson Mlynarik, 14, of Winterset, Iowa, stand together with a lit up snowflake during the Holiday Lights Festival lighting ceremony at The RiverFront Park in Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALDSandhills/Thedford's Zeb Wilde (32) and Carson Cooksley (14) celebrate with fans Kaden Haake and Connor Cooksley following the Wynot vs. Sandhills/Thedford Nebraska Class D2 State Football Championship at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Sandhills/Thedford won the title 50-12.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALDCreighton's Trey Alexander (23) controls the ball in the Texas Southern vs. Creighton men's college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALDJustin Holzepfel puts Christmas lights on his roof as his daughter, Madalyn, 5, watches on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Nick Henrich (3) pressures Wisconsin's Tanner Mordecai (8) during the second half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Thomas Fidone II (24) huddles Wisconsin's Jason Maitre (23) during the second half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Chubba Purdy (12) throws under pressure from Wisconsin's Jake Chaney (36) during the first half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Chubba Purdy (12) scores on a 55-yard run on the first drive during the first half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Harper Murray (27) goes up for the ball during the first set of a college volleyball match against Michigan at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALDJaye'real Coppage 12, dibbles a basketball in the gym at the Salvation Army Omaha North Worship & Service Center located at 2424 Pratt St, on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. Paint from the mural on the wall is peeling.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDAtlas Swan, 3, helps his mother, Eryn Swan's plants on the porch of their Bemis Park home on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDKids play basketball in the gym at the Salvation Army's North Corps Community Center, 2424 Pratt St., on Nov. 9.
CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALDNorth Dakota State's Ryan Sletten (24) tries to stop a Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) dunk at CHI Health Center on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDPolice escort a truck carrying the Durham Museum Christmas heads north on I480 toward Woolworth Avenue on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDA Union Pacific climbs out of a tree after securing it to a crane on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALDCreighton's Steven Ashworth (1) celebrates a three-point basket against North Dakota State at CHI Health Center on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNorth Dakota State's Ryan Sletten (24) tries to stop a Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) dunk at CHI Health Center on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Ty Robinson (9) walks off the filed following the college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Maryland won the game 13-10.
ANNA REED THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Blaise Gunnerson (97) stretches out to try an block a pass from Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa (3) to Maryland's Roman Hemby (24) during the first half of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
ANNA REED THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Harper Murray (27) watches as Nebraska's Merritt Beason (13) misses the ball in the Northwestern vs. Nebraska college volleyball match at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.
ANNA REED THE WORLD-HERALDBrooke Holloway, Matthew McMullen Bill Holloway and Cindy Holloway cross the Red Cedar river on their way to Spartan Stadium prior to a college football game between the Nebraska Huskers and the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing, Mich. On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska and Michigan State fans react differently on a penalty call against Michigan State during the first half of a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Omar Brown (12) sits in a hall before playing Michigan State in a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Heinrich Haarberg (10), Nebraska's Jeff Sims (7) and Nebraska's Chubba Purdy (12) have a moment in a hall before playing Michigan State in a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDA member of the Michigan State marching band drums upside down during the second half of a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALDOmaha Skutt raises their trophy following the Norris vs. Omaha Skutt Nebraska State Volleyball Class B Championship match at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Omaha Skutt won the title in three sets.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALDSumner-Eddyville-Miller's Katelynn Reiter (6) serves the ball in the O'Neill St. Mary's vs. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller NSAA Class D-1 volleyball state quarterfinal match at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALDShania Twain performs at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER THE WORLD-HERALDMillard West's Brody Peterson (7) runs the ball against Grand Island's Trey Engberg (1) and Grand Island's Justyce Hostetler (35) during the first quarter of a high school football game at Buell Stadium in Omaha on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER THE WORLD-HERALDMinden's Aubree Bules (11) serves the ball during the fourth set of the Nebraska state volleyball C-1 Championship against Kearney Catholic at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER THE WORLD-HERALDOverton's JoLee Ryan (7) and Overton's Ashlyn Florell (10) celebrate after sweeping Cambridge to win the Nebraska state volleyball D-2 Championship at Devaney Center in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALDThe sun sets behind Pinnacle Bank Arena before the Huskers' men's basketball team tips-off against Lindenwood in Lincoln on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's C.J. Wilcher (0) passes the ball against Florida A&M's Jordan Chatman (2) during the first half of a college men's basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALDA look inside Memorial Stadium during the national anthem before the first quarter of a college football game in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Janiran Bonner (16) runs the ball past Maryland's Beau Brade (2) to score a touchdown during the third quarter of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALDNebraska's Malcolm Hartzog (13) pushes Maryland's Antwain Littleton II (7) out of bounds during the third quarter of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALDCreighton's Trey Alexander (23) goes up to dunk the ball against Iowa's Tony Perkins (11) during the second half of a men's college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.
NIKOS FRAZIER THE WORLD-HERALD
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