Then we are fucked.

50% mortality rate in some other mammals. Even a 10% mortality rate could bring the global economy to its knees. I bought supplies to prepare. We are not many steps away from such a deadly mutation.

COVID is one of the most transmissible diseases on the planet. Flu is much, much less transmissible. Bird flu's ability to transmit would probably be on par with previous flu pandemics, not covid.