US health authorities are prepared to dispatch a pair of vaccines within weeks if the bird flu, which has been detected in dairy cows in nine states, crosses over to humans.
While there's no evidence of H5N1 spreading between people, a dairy worker in Texas became infected after working closely with cattle.
Approval from the US Food and Drug Administration is needed before both vaccines, along with a third mRNA vaccine currently in development, could be distributed.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring over 100 individuals, primarily those who work with farm animals, for any signs of potential infection, according to The Independent.
Dawn O'Connell, the Department of Health and Human Services assistant secretary for preparedness, revealed,
"We've been investing in a library of antigens to move out as quickly as possible should we begin to see a highly transmissible flu strain circulate."
Officials stressed during a Wednesday briefing that there are presently no indications the virus is mutating in a manner that would enable it to transmit between humans.
Government officials have begun testing both bovine milk and meat for signs of bird flu.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that pasteurization can neutralize the bird flu virus if it appears in cow's milk.
Furthermore, the USDA is closely monitoring the situation, collecting beef samples and conducting PCR tests to detect any potential viral particles.
The CDC recommends ground beef be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill possible bacteria in the meat.
