Dr. Leana Wen, known for her controversial stances during the COVID-19 pandemic, appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday to discuss [1] the recent H5N1 bird flu outbreak in the United States.
Her appearance follows growing concerns about the virus, which has already prompted significant action from public officials.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently confirmed the first severe U.S. human case of H5N1 bird flu.
The case involved a 65-year-old man from Louisiana who had been in contact with sick birds in his backyard. The confirmation comes as health officials across the country monitor the spread of the virus.
In response to the outbreak, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency last week.
Dr. Wen, a former president of Planned Parenthood and a prominent figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasized the need for immediate action.
During her interview, she urged the Biden-Harris administration to take swift measures to combat the bird flu.
“There actually is a vaccine developed already against H5N1. The Biden administration has contracted with manufacturers to make almost 5 million doses of the vaccine,” Dr. Wen said. She called on federal officials to expedite the process by seeking FDA authorization.
“However, they have not asked the FDA to authorize the vaccine. There’s research done on it. They could get this authorized now and also get the vaccine out,” Wen explained.
Dr. Wen also stressed the importance of widespread testing to identify the virus’s presence in the population.
“I feel like we should’ve learned our lesson from COVID, that just because we aren’t testing doesn’t mean the virus isn’t there,” she said, advocating for proactive testing to prevent further spread.
JUST IN: Health ‘expert’ calls on the Biden Administration to get immediate FDA authorization for H5N1 vaccines and get 5 million doses to the American people as fast as possible.
This sounds familiar.
The comments were made by Former Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health… pic.twitter.com/nODT1btuVf [2]
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 29, 2024 [3]
The Biden-Harris administration has not yet made a public announcement regarding plans to authorize or distribute the H5N1 vaccine.
However, the CDC and public health officials are closely monitoring developments.
Dr. Wen’s appearance on Face the Nation comes amid her continued prominence in public health discussions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she gained national attention for advocating for strict measures, including vaccination requirements and limits on personal freedoms for those who refused to comply.