The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has taken a proactive approach to ensure the health and well-being of all residents, particularly seasonal farmworkers in the state. This comes after two cases of influenza A, or bird flu, were reported among dairy workers in Michigan this year. In response, the MDHHS will be providing new bilingual health resources for seasonal workers regarding influenza A.
The new resources will include releases and a hotline to assist those who may be impacted. It is important to note that bird flu has been spreading in dairy and poultry farms across the U.S. this spring. MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel emphasized the importance of addressing language barriers as two-thirds of seasonal farmworkers in Michigan primarily speak Spanish.
To ensure that everyone has access to the information they need, the hotline was launched in February 2023 and offers services in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole. Additional phone call translation services are also available for languages other than English and Spanish. The MDHHS is taking a comprehensive approach to provide resources on health topics like influenza A (H5N1) to ensure that all residents are informed and protected from potential illnesses.
