Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed the worsening avian flu crisis, saying vaccinating birds turns them into “mutation factories." Instead, he recommends letting the birds who survive the virus continue to breed.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is advising against vaccinating poultry as American farmers struggle to contain a devastating bird flu outbreak that has caused egg prices to skyrocket.

Avian flu is not just for the birds; cases have been reported in the United States in dairy cows, as well as types of cats, a fox, a seal, and most recently, rats and domestic indoor cats, according to the latest data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

An outbreak of H5 avian influenza was confirmed by United States health agencies in mid-2024. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the public health risk is currently low - but states are still monitoring the progression.

RFK Jr. has once again railed against vaccines, this time claiming that vaccinating birds against avian flu will turn flocks into "mutation factories."

Highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to devastate poultry flocks throughout the United States, as well as cause significant illness in cattle, said David Diemert, MD, professor of medicine and professor of microbiology, immunology, and tropical medicine at George Washington University in Washinton, DC, in an interview.