US pays $72 million to pharmaceutical companies for bird flu vaccine
The U.S. government announced on Friday that it will double its stockpile of emergency bird flu vaccines after more workers and livestock have tested positive for the virus. Three companies have been awarded a total of $72 million to ramp up the production of the vaccines. This increase is part of a broader effort to prepare for potential outbreaks of avian influenza, also known as H5N1, which has begun to affect both animals and people in the U.S.
David Boucher, the infectious disease preparedness director at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, confirmed that the stockpile will grow to 10 million doses by the spring of next year. As of this summer, the government had prepared 4.8 million doses, though none have been used yet. Health officials remain cautious about deploying the vaccine, stating that it would only be used if human-to-human transmission of the virus is detected. So far, no such transmission has been confirmed.
This year, 16 people in the U.S. have been infected with H5N1, with all cases presenting mild symptoms. Despite these infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized that the general public remains at low risk. All human cases so far have involved individuals working closely with infected animals.
The funding boost is being split between three manufacturers: CSL Seqirus, Sanofi, and GSK. CSL Seqirus was responsible for producing the first round of vaccine doses. The new funding will allow these companies to fill and finish the vaccines, so they are ready for immediate use if needed. Additionally, they will produce vaccine components for the circulating influenza strains. Sanofi is also planning to maintain a stable supply of eggs for egg-based vaccines, which are essential for vaccine production.
The urgency of this increased preparedness became evident when two new bird flu cases were reported in California dairy workers on Thursday. The workers, both employed at different farms in the Central Valley, had been in contact with infected animals. These cases bring the total number of infected workers to 16 this year, with six being dairy workers and nine being poultry workers in Colorado. Eye redness has been the most common symptom among those infected.
Dr. Nirav Shah, deputy director at the CDC, stated that as more herds become infected, the risk to workers increases. With 56 herds currently infected across California, officials are closely monitoring the situation. Shah emphasized that when more workers are exposed to infected animals, the likelihood of human infection rises.
A recent case in Missouri, involving a person with no known source of transmission, has raised additional concerns. The CDC is now testing blood samples from those in close contact with the infected individual, including several healthcare workers and another person from the same household. The results of these tests are still pending.
To mitigate risks, the CDC is distributing seasonal flu vaccines to farm workers. Although these vaccines do not protect against bird flu, they are intended to reduce the chances of workers contracting seasonal flu, which could complicate infections and potentially lead to mutations of the bird flu virus.
Quarantines have been put in place on infected farms, particularly in California, the nation’s largest milk producer. Dr. Eric Deeble, a senior official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said that dairy farms with infected herds have been quarantined, and officials have established a 10-kilometer testing zone around these farms. Milk from these zones is being tested for traces of the bird flu virus.
Bulk milk sampling has been the primary method for detecting infections in herds. This strategy proved successful in Colorado, where a significant number of infections were discovered earlier this year. Once testing began, officials were able to isolate the virus and reduce its spread. Currently, only one herd in Colorado remains infected out of the 86 initially identified.
There are concerns about the potential impact of bird flu on California’s dairy industry. Pasteurization, however, has been shown to be effective at eliminating the virus from dairy products. Federal regulators have reassured the public that milk produced in affected areas is safe for consumption once pasteurized.
With new funding in place, officials hope that the U.S. will be better prepared to handle any potential escalation of the bird flu threat, both for workers and the broader public.
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