Flu pandemic preparations begin
Preparations to deal with a possible avian flu pandemic have begun today, with the Department of Health inviting tenders for a contract to supply vaccines.
The department intends to buy two million doses of the H5NI vaccine, which offers some protection against the avian flu strain, to give to priority groups such as NHS workers.
“It makes sense to ensure that we in the UK are prepared as we can be,” said health secretary Patricia Hewitt.
“This, alongside the purchase of 14.6 million doses of antivirals and the other public health measures we have in place, will help ensure that the UK continues to be at the forefront of international preparedness for a possible flu pandemic.”
The vaccines would also enable experts to carry out further clinical studies on the H5NI vaccine to learn more about how it works and how effective it would be in a pandemic.
