The Cal Falcons are gone. Prices of eggs have cracked $9. Bird Flu is present here in the Bay Area.
From rising egg prices to purchasing limits at grocery stores to the disappearance of the Cal Falcons at UC Berkeley, the Bay Area is feeling the full effects of the H5N1 avian flu outbreak. If the virus continues to affect the region’s meat and dairy supply, prices could climb even higher.
If you regularly eat eggs, you’ve likely noticed a price spike. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), egg prices rose 53% from January 2024 to January 2025. The USDA also projects another 40% increase before the year ends.
To prevent hoarding, many Bay Area grocery stores began limiting egg purchases in February. Most stores cap customers at three cartons. Chains including Costco, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have enforced limits, according to a Dec. 13, 2024, report from SFGate and a Feb. 11, 2025, article in the San Francisco Chronicle. This mirrors early 2020, when panic-buying during the COVID-19 pandemic forced stores to ration toilet paper. Experts believe limits will remain until the H5N1 outbreak subsides. The Chronicle reports that “full recovery could take four to six months, depending on the virus’s progression.”
But are egg prices the only concern?
In a Jan. 15, 2025, article, Dr. Emily Landon of the University of Chicago’s Department of Medicine listed seven ways to protect yourself from H5N1. The most relevant information she provides to college students is to only consume pasteurized dairy products, refrigerate and fully cook eggs and poultry.
“No direct touch, no bird flu virus exposure,” said Phuong Le, manager of infection prevention at Alameda Hospital. “The transmission mechanism is through contact with contaminated surfaces or exposure to bird secretions.”
In a recent interview with Le, a doctor of medicine and certified in infection Control (CIC), She emphasized avoiding direct contact with infected birds and taking basic hygiene precautions.
If you think you’ve come into contact with H5N1, Le recommends monitoring for flu-like symptoms, especially cough, sore throat and fatigue. These symptoms are common to both seasonal flu and H5N1. If symptoms appear, she advises seeking medical care and isolating to prevent further spread.
Meanwhile, the Bay Area’s beloved peregrine falcons Annie and Archie have vanished. The pair, known for their webcam nest atop the UC Berkeley Campanile, hasn’t been seen in nearly three months. Rumors suggest they may have died from H5N1.
However, fans noted that the falcons had disappeared before and came back a short time later. But this long of an absence is unusual for these falcons. Many people think Annie and Archie either found a new nest somewhere else or died from H5N1. Experts suspect the latter as shorebirds and waterfowl, common prey of peregrine falcons, tend to carry the virus. As a result, Annie and Archie are likely victims of the virus.
Cal falcon fans are holding onto hope. According to a report from ABC 7 News Bay Area, on March 5th, a new falcon showed up at the Campanile and stayed for about 15 minutes. There have not been any falcon sightings since then. But they could make their return to the Campanile in 2026.
Anna May, long-time Cal Falcon fan, who has been watching the Cal Falcons since before there was a dedicated webcam, is heartbroken by the pair’s disappearance. She suspects that Annie is probably a victim of H5N1. Though she’s less worried about the flu now, she admits, “It still worries me.”
Dr. Le offers a word of caution and advice, stating “…the news may be rapidly disseminated and inflated by the internet and media. When it comes to public news, we should be more cautious.”
