Well, full disclosure, I do work in one of the labs at CDC. The past year and a half has been absolutely soul-crushing to see science set aside for convenience. And yes, I cuddle my chickens too -- And wash hands after.
Yup proper hygiene comes into play with pretty much any disease/illness.
I am constantly reminding my kids to wash their hands when done with the ducks/chickens or even just outside in my backyard in general (where my animals congregate).
I am also cautious when having friends or neighbours socializing with my animals. Same goes for them. Wash your hands when your done please. I don’t want backlash if they catch something from my animals because they “didn’t know”.