Heat Protections for Florida Farmworkers

THURSDAY, MAY 16
PROGRAM #10376 12:00 PM PT

Heat Protections for Florida Farmworkers.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last month that would ban heat protections for workers. The federal government does not have laws protecting workers from extreme heat either. But those who work on farmworker-driven Fair Food Program farms in Immokalee, are protected from the dangers of extreme heat.

Guest: Lucas Benítez, Coordinator, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Immokalee, FL.

Bird Flu Outbreak. The H5N1 bird flu virus has infected dairy cows across the country. The virus has been found in livestock in nine states, including Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. At least one person in Texas, also became infected with H5N1. What scientists fear most is if the virus spreads efficiently from person to person. How big is the outbreak? Can humans catch it? Are we at risk of a rapid spread and another pandemic? How can dairy workers protect themselves from bird flu?

Guests: Denise Vega Ocasio, Epidemiologist, US Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA; Paula Andalo, Ethnic Media Editor, KFF Health News, Silver Spring, MD.

Photo: International Labour Organization via flickr

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