Why are egg prices soaring? Here's what experts say
This photograph taken on October 6, 2023, shows eggs, in Paris. With inflation leading to a rise in meat and fish prices, households across France have sought protein elsewhere, increasing their egg consumption to a record high. (Photo by JOEL SAGET
WASHINGTON - Egg prices have once again jumped.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that prices for eggs have jumped 28.1% in the last year. The average price for a dozen eggs is now $3.20 compared to $2.04a year ago, according to the bureau.
Why are egg prices rising?
Aside from demand, experts believe the spike in egg prices may be because of the bird flu outbreak, particularly a wave that hit Colorado over the summer.
Four poultry workers in Colorado were diagnosed with bird flu in July.
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Their illnesses were relatively mild — reddened and irritated eyes and common respiratory infection symptoms like fever, chills, coughing, sore throat and runny nose. None were hospitalized, officials said.
Also, more than 4 million chickens in Iowa had to be killed after a case of the highly pathogenic bird flu was detected at a large egg farm back in May.
History of bird flu in the US
A bird flu virus has been spreading since 2020 among mammals — including dogs, cats, skunks, bears and even seals and porpoises — in scores of countries. Earlier this year the virus, known as H5N1, was detected in U.S. livestock, and is now circulating in cattle in several states.
Are bird flu vaccines available?
Production of a limited amount of bird flu vaccine for people is underway, but the government is not recommending it for farmworkers. There isn’t the kind of person-to-person spread that would trigger that kind of vaccination campaign, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Moderna already has a bird flu vaccine in very early-stage testing that uses the same mRNA technology that allowed rapid development and rollout of vaccines to protect against COVID-19.
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U.S. health officials have been making preparations for vaccines and other measures, in case the bird flu does start spreading widely among people or begins causing severe illness.
Seasonal flu shots do not protect against bird flu. But they might reduce coinfections, the CDC said. The CDC is also discussing the possibility of offering some farmworkers the antiviral medication Tamiflu to prevent getting the flu, Shah said.