Over in Brownfield—yes, that Brownfield—the city noticed something unusual: sick geese. Instead of shrugging and waiting for Facebook comments to spiral into conspiracy theories, city officials posted a clear, calm, and actually useful explanation of what’s going on with avian flu in the area.
They explained that bird flu is highly contagious among birds, that human transmission is rare, and that people should avoid handling sick or dead birds. Revolutionary stuff. They also named the agencies involved—Texas Parks and Wildlife, South Plains Public Health District, and the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center—so residents know this isn’t just a vibes-based response.
Then Brownfield did something truly shocking: they closed Gillham Pond and Howell Lake Park out of an abundance of caution. You know, that thing where officials act before something gets worse. They even listed symptoms to watch for and gave residents phone numbers to call instead of telling them to “just use common sense” and hoping for the best.
Meanwhile, Lubbock residents get to play everyone’s favorite local game: “Is This Dangerous or Just Another Normal Day?” Sick birds? Floating geese? Don’t worry—if it were important, surely someone would’ve posted… eventually… maybe… during business hours.
If Brownfield can manage a coherent public health response on Facebook, what exactly is Lubbock waiting for—a strongly worded goose?