Avian Flu Information for Health Care Providers
Clinical Guidance and Resources
- Guidance for Testing and Managing People Who are Potentially Exposed to Novel Influenza A (H5N1) or Other Novel or Variant Influenza Viruses (PDF)
- Specimen Collection and Shipment for Avian Flu (PDF)
- Specimen Collection and Shipment for COVID-19 & Influenza (PDF)
- Interim Guidance on the Use of Antiviral Medications for Treatment of Human Infections
For Local Health Departments
Agricultural Fairs & Exhibits Toolkit
Local public health partners can use these resources to prevent diseases at fairs, petting zoos and exhibits in North Carolina where live animals are present. These resources help partners establish communication and engagement with fair managers and animal exhibitors for a coordinated effort toward disease prevention.
Animals can sometimes carry harmful germs that can spread to people and cause illness – these are known as zoonotic diseases or zoonoses. Zoonotic diseases are caused by harmful germs like viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi.
LHD Directors Memo (PDF): Please review the LHD Directors Memo (PDF) outlining expectations regarding zoonotic disease prevention at agricultural fairs.
Shareable Materials About Avian Flu
Get shareable toolkits for farmers/farmworkers and fair exhibitors, and other fact sheets, flyers/posters and more.
Aedin's Law
In 2005, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Aedin’s Law, which provides protection to the public while in animal exhibits at agricultural fairs. Thanks to Aedin's Law, animals in public contact at agriculturally sanctioned fairs are already regulated, with the primary purpose being public health.
What to know about Aedin's Law:
- In the event of an outbreak, the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) will have lists and contact information for animal contact exhibits.
- Aedin’s Law requires a number of protective actions (PDF), but only for animals intended to be in public contact (e.g. petting zoos, pony rides, milking booths and poultry handling exhibits).
- Animals present for show or exhibition (public contact not intended) will not be covered by Aedin’s Law, and there is no requirement for public education or other measures. However, several recommendations for public education and other measures do exist. Please refer to the LHD Directors Memo (PDF), the resources below and Agricultural Fairs/Exhibitions and Avian Flu for more information.
More Resources and References
- CDC: Considerations and Information for Fair Exhibitors to Help Prevent Influenza
- USDA: Recommendations to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Dairy Cattle Livestock Exhibitions (PDF)
- NCDA&CS: Recommendations to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Dairy Cattle Livestock Exhibitions (PDF)
- NCDHHS: Protect Yourself Against Illness from Cattle (PDF)
This page was last modified on 06/10/2026