SAN MATEO COUNTY -- Due to a rising concern of H5N1, or bird flu, spreading among dairy cows nationally, the county health department will be participating in a program through the California Department of Public Health to provide a one-time supply of personal protective equipment to businesses and organizations that employ or serve dairy and poultry farmworkers.
However, the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends that dairy and poultry farmworkers and those who handle raw milk have personal protective equipment available in case it is needed. Operators must provide personal protective equipment to employees if they work closely with animals or products that are known or suspected to be infected with H5N1, in accordance with California Division of Occupational Safety and Health standards.