Preparing for bird flu
Preparations for a possible influenza sparked by the deadly H5N1 strain of avian bird flu have stepped us as federal officials ordered additional stocks of antiviral drugs and launched a new effort to develop a vaccine that could be effective against the mutating virus.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has order another 1.75 million treatment courses of the antiviral drug zanamivir, known by the trade name Relenze, and 12.4 million treatment courses of oseltamivir, known as Tamiflu. The drugs will be added to the 5.5 treatment courses already purchased for delivery to states if an influenza epidemic occurs.
The department has also authorized the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin working on a second prepandemic flu baccine based on the mutating H5N1 virus. The current stockpile of prepandemic vaccine is based on an earlier version of the virus and could be less effective at inducing immunity.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has order another 1.75 million treatment courses of the antiviral drug zanamivir, known by the trade name Relenze, and 12.4 million treatment courses of oseltamivir, known as Tamiflu. The drugs will be added to the 5.5 treatment courses already purchased for delivery to states if an influenza epidemic occurs.
The department has also authorized the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin working on a second prepandemic flu baccine based on the mutating H5N1 virus. The current stockpile of prepandemic vaccine is based on an earlier version of the virus and could be less effective at inducing immunity.
posted by healthcare trainer at 1:11 PM
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