The Defender has reported a recent detection of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, also known as bird flu, and the potential risks associated with it. The New York Times and the Daily Mail have reported on the possibility of the virus mutating and becoming transmissible between humans, with the Daily Mail even claiming that a new bird flu outbreak could be 100 times worse than COVID-19. Experts, including Dr. Mandy Cohen from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi from the University of Pittsburgh, have expressed concern about the situation and the potential for a bird flu pandemic.
Dr. Richard Bartlett, an emergency room director and former Texas Department of Health and Human Services advisory council member, joins the discussion and suggests that gain-of-function research on bird flu viruses may be responsible for the outbreak and could potentially lead to a future pandemic. Bartlett also questions the accuracy of the testing methods used to diagnose bird flu cases and raises concerns about the long-term safety of bird flu vaccines that are being developed.
Bartlett connects the development of new bird flu vaccines with recent warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO) about a potential “Disease X” that could cause a new pandemic. He suggests that financial interests connected to Big Pharma and organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are driving the push for mass vaccination and funding for vaccine development.
Despite the concerns raised, Bartlett advises the public to remain calm and highlights non-vaccine treatments that could be effective in addressing symptoms caused by a potential bird flu outbreak. He mentions budesonide, an inhalable steroid, as a valuable tool and suggests that antiviral drugs like Xofluza may also be effective. Bartlett emphasizes the importance of not rushing into getting a gene therapy shot without long-term safety data.
