The federal government has confirmed the existence of two bird flu vaccine candidates that utilize traditional vaccine technology, already present in the national stockpile. It was previously announced that there would be 10 million doses readily available by the beginning of 2025, as a preventive measure. “Avian flu variants have historically exhibited unpredictability and posed a significant threat to human health. This is why the response to this issue has been a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” stated HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a released statement on Friday. He further emphasized, “Expediting the development of new vaccines is crucial to keeping ahead of the evolving situation and ensuring that the American population has the necessary resources to safeguard their well-being.”
Since April 2024, incidents of bird flu cases in humans have been reported across the nation, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirming a total of 67 cases as of the most recent update. Tragically, the first death of a human infected with bird flu was documented in Louisiana earlier this month. The individual, who was over 65 years old and had pre-existing medical conditions, succumbed to the illness, according to health authorities.
The majority of human infections have occurred due to contact with contaminated livestock, poultry farms, or during culling operations involving infected animals. Despite these concerning developments, both the CDC and various public health experts have underscored that there is presently no evidence of human-to-human transmission, with the overall risk to the general public perceived as low.
In a significant move to combat the escalating bird flu situation, Moderna has been granted a substantial sum of $590 million by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to facilitate the rapid advancement of an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine.
ABC News’ Mary Kekatos contributed to the coverage of this critical issue.
The original article can be found at abcnews.go.com, titled “Moderna awarded $590M to help accelerate development of mRNA-based bird flu vaccine: HHS”.
