I keep seeing headlines about bird flu, and it’s freaking me out. I have a big trip coming up to climb a bunch of fourteeners in Colorado, but it sounds like bird flu is all over the state right now. I’m wondering how worried I should be and whether I should cancel my vacation. What can I do to protect myself from getting the bird flu? — Anxious Traveler
If you’re just about packed for an adventure in a new state, your newsfeed might be giving you some jitters—especially if you’re consistently seeing headlines about a viral disease jumping from animals to people. You might feel worried about that hiking trip in Colorado, especially given the rampant bird flu outbreak in the state. However, the current H5 bird flu (also called avian influenza or H5N1), which has jumped from birds to cows to people, is much different than COVID-19, according to experts who spoke to Outside. Right now is a time to build awareness, not pull a Crowdstrike on your travel plans.
At the time of publication, there have been 14 cases of H5 bird flu in people since 2022. It’s running rampant in cows and has been since March of this…
