Since 2020, there have been scattered outbreaks of avian influenza, but the most recent classified outbreak started in March 2024. H5N1 avian influenza, a specific strain of avian flu more commonly referred to as bird flu, is a highly contagious pathogenic illness that is caused by influenza A virus. Although it primarily infects birds and certain livestock, there have been some reports of human infection.
Pathogenic strains of the virus have resulted in the deaths of over 20 million egg-laying chickens in the last quarter alone. This significant loss has disrupted the U.S. egg supply chain, causing prices to soar at an alarming rate, with a predicted 20% increase in the coming months. These increasing prices and shortages have impacted the accessibility of eggs for individuals and businesses across the nation.
Senior and chicken owner Kimika Shimazaki has experienced firsthand the challenges chicken owners face with the bird flu, as she and her family have all started to wear masks as a precautionary measure during their routine cleaning of the chicken coop. The extra measures are due to one of Shimazaki’s chickens dying prematurely from the avian flu outbreak about two years ago. Since then, she has added several protective features to her coop, from regular maintenance of the chickens’ water and food to strategically-placed tents to provide both shade and protection from other birds.
“We were thinking that the flu might have caused the chicken to become weak and then die in the end,” Shimazaki said. “We bathed the chickens more often, but when we bathed the one that was weak, it felt like we made it weaker.”
To protect MVHS students from the avian flu, Food Service Manager Edgar Rodriguez ensures that all food prepared is kept away from potential contaminants. With reliable vendors that immediately communicate issues and precooked proteins that only require reheating, Rodriguez makes certain that all meals served to students are prepared as sanitarily and efficiently as possible.
“I’d be worried about the bird flu if we were cooking raw meat, which schools are not allowed to do,” Rodriguez said. “The beef we get is already cooked when we source it. It already comes pre-packaged. We basically warm it up in the steamer and bring it up to temperature, and then we mix it up. The way we prepare eggs is still the same. As long as we are heating them to temperature, which is 165 plus, then we should be fine.”
Along with fresh produce available on demand, Rodriguez ensures cleanliness throughout the entire food preparation process with meticulous sanitation precautions for his staff — especially since they are informally-trained students and parents.
“We teach the staff what they should be doing and what they shouldn’t be doing,” Rodriguez said. “It’s not too hard once you get used to it and you’ve done it for a certain amount of years. It just becomes second nature. Every day that they come in, they have to wash their hands, and they have to wear a hair net. If, for example, they’re wearing gloves and prepping food, and one of them just happens to brush their hair with their glove, they have to change gloves. We go through quite a bit of gloves on a daily basis. I change gloves maybe 30 times. It’s just better to be safe.”
Economics teacher Peter Pelkey has noticed the lack of eggs available at retail stores like Costco, and he believes the issue has been exacerbated due to hoarding. While he hasn’t been personally affected, because he dislikes eggs, he notes potential issues egg-reliant businesses such as bakeries and farms are going to face. “It’s going to hurt their business,” Pelkey said. “They’re going to have to raise their prices. The egg prices are going to from $12 to $15. It might go $20 for a dozen eggs. That’s crazy money and we won’t be eating as many eggs. Farmers are going to have to take their entire stock and kill it. Then they can’t farm for a while since they have to reload and it takes a while to get re-started. You need money coming in on a regular basis.”
Although Rodriguez notes the effects of the increased prices and egg availability, he predicts that the effect on MVHS food services will likely be felt within the next few months. To accommodate for the lack of poultry and egg products, Rodriguez is planning to make changes to the menu, such as more salads.
“I am a big believer that students should eat lots of greens and veggies,” Rodriguez said. “I’d love to do pita wraps with hummus. I’d love to have more fresh veggies, but even when we were doing the veggies, there’s only so much time that students can eat this before they get bored, right? If we do the same thing for five months, students are going to get tired of it and my cook gets tired of making it. I’d love to implement something that is a four-week menu rotation, where every meal is different for four weeks, then we rotate again.”
Pelkey emphasizes the need for government intervention to support struggling businesses impacted by the outbreak. With the loss of flocks and long recovery times to bring industries back to normal operational speeds, financial assistance is crucial. However, he expresses doubts about whether this aid could be provided.
“The government could come in and they can subsidize them,” Pelkey said. “They can say you’re going through a hard time right now, so we’re going to pay your rent, we’re going to pay your fees for three months until you can get yourself started again. I hope the government, or FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), or somebody’s going to come in and say, ‘This is an emergency’ and pay them. But I don’t have faith that the federal government, at this moment in time, is going to help individuals that aren’t really wealthy.”
Pelkey also highlights how the avian flu has begun transferring to other animals, such as cows, raising concerns about its potential impact on the beef industry. He explains that similar to poultry, the most effective solution for containing the virus is to exterminate entire herds and disinfect anything potentially contaminated until a viable cure is found. While cases of avian flu in humans have been reported, Pelkey notes that tracking its spread has become difficult under the new Trump administration.
“Last we heard, there’s 15 cases of humans with avian flu,” Pelkey said. “But that was two weeks ago, and the CDC is not reporting anything because the Trump administration won’t let them report anything until it’s been approved by the President of the United States. So we don’t know if avian flu is affecting people yet.”
Pelkey offers advice for students and other consumers dealing with rising food prices. With the risk of contamination in raw foods and egg prices soaring, he encourages shifting towards a more plant-based diet as a budget-friendly alternative.
“Avoid eggs and most complex proteins at the moment,” Pelkey said. “Go for more vegetarian options with rice, beans, that kind of stuff. Everything’s price isn’t going down. The price is just going to go up.”
