US and European Nations Discuss Vaccinating Workers Exposed to Avian Influenza

The United States and Europe are ramping up efforts to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines in a bid to protect at-risk individuals and prevent a potential pandemic, government officials revealed.

In the U.S., officials announced last week that they were converting bulk vaccine from CSL Seqirus into finished shots that could yield 4.8 million doses. Meanwhile, European health authorities are in discussions to secure CSL’s prepandemic vaccine.

Canadian officials have also engaged in talks with GSK, the maker of Canada’s seasonal flu shots, to explore the acquisition and production of a prepandemic bird flu vaccine once seasonal flu production capacity is freed up.

The urgency for these actions stems from the rapid spread of a new strain of bird flu that emerged in late 2020, resulting in numerous deaths among wild birds, domestic poultry, and even infecting mammal species.

In the U.S., the virus has already reached dairy cattle, infecting dozens of herds in nine states and two dairy workers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that 20% of the country’s milk supply shows signs of the virus, indicating a potential wider spread.

Experts emphasize the importance of preventing widespread human infections, as this could lead to dangerous mutations that enable the virus to easily spread among people.

Efforts are underway to strategically deploy vaccines to protect workers in close contact with infected animals, such as dairy farmers and healthcare workers. Discussions are ongoing at various government levels and among scientists to determine the best course of action.

The situation is being closely monitored globally, with governments and health authorities collaborating to procure vaccines and prepare for potential pandemic scenarios.