After the first cases of the virus circulating among mammals, bird flu started to scare. The disease, which has killed thousands of sea lions in Peru and threatened the poultry industry in different parts of the planet, has demonstrated a remarkable adaptability. Therefore, the European Commission has announced that two contracts will be closed to guarantee the supply of vaccines to Member States if the situation escalates.
“We are keeping a close eye on the bird flu issue” and “there are two vaccines currently authorized in the EU” but are likely to be adapted for humans as well. “The Commission has signed two joint procurement contracts to purchase these vaccines in the event of an outbreak,” European Commission health spokesperson Stefan De Keersmaecker said in a statement today.
Without specifying any risks to humans, the spokesperson said, “In the event of a WHO-declared flu epidemic, companies should update their vaccines against the viral strain causing a possible epidemic.” Meanwhile, according to the agency, ReutersSome of the world’s leading manufacturers of flu vaccines have pledged that they are ready to make hundreds of millions of avian flu vaccines for humans within months if a new strain of flu reaches people.
A current epidemic has killed record numbers of infected birds and mammals. However, human cases are very rare, and global health officials said the risk of transmission between humans is still low. Three vaccine companies – GSK, Moderna and Seqirus – confirmed to Reuters that they are already developing or in the process of testing human vaccine samples that better match the circulating subtype as a precaution against a future pandemic. Other companies, such as Sanofi, have said they are “ready” to start production with existing H5N1 vaccine strains if needed.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
