CDC to prepare bird flu vaccine just in case

[Treyfish]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday it is monitoring a new strain of bird flu and plans to start preparing a vaccine just in case it is needed.
... it is following the situation closely and coordinating with domestic and international partners. :tiphat:http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/201...rd-flu-vaccine-just-in-case?lite?ocid=twitter

 

[Emily]

Re: CDC to prepare bird flu vaccine just in case

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/04/health-birdflu-vaccine-idUSL5N0CR3DZ20130404

Thu Apr 4, 2013 12:12pm EDT

* Experts in daily talks on risks posed by new China virus

* Researchers analysing samples to find vaccine candidate

* Decision to make vaccine depends on whether H7N9 spreads

By Ben Hirschler and Kate Kelland

LONDON, April 4 (Reuters)
[snip]
MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN?

There is no evidence yet of person-to-person transmission of H7N9 flu, and scientists do not yet know how what the strain's potential is to develop into a human pandemic. Wendy Barclay, a flu virologist at Imperial College London, said one major argument against moving too soon would be financial.

"There is a possibility now that flu researchers will all rush to work on H7N9 and grants will be awarded for intensive research to develop vaccines ... and that could be pouring money down a drain because it could be that the barriers for this virus are high enough that we don't need to worry about it."

She said scientists should first be focused on getting "the practical biology and the sequence analysis" before they decide to move on...