New strain of 'deadly' bird flu

[Seth]

If it was such a risk, you would think that there would be a world organisation for immunisation, to produce relevant flu jabs quicker and in real quantity, if a serious outbreak actually occurred.
Pay for it with a tax on air travel, since that is what makes it all such a serious threat.

The problem is that vaccines take time to create and by the time the particular pathogen involved in a pandemic outbreak is identified it's far too late to create a stockpile of vaccine large enough to do any good before the disease has run its course.

That's why the flu vaccine you get every year is nothing more than an educated guess by the CDC and other medical authorities as to which version of the virus will be prevalent in the next flu season. Production difficulties mean they have to plan at least a year ahead of time in order to manufacture enough and get it distributed, and many times they guess wrong and the vaccines are of very limited value in preventing large outbreaks.

[JimC]

If it was such a risk, you would think that there would be a world organisation for immunisation, to produce relevant flu jabs quicker and in real quantity, if a serious outbreak actually occurred.
Pay for it with a tax on air travel, since that is what makes it all such a serious threat.

The problem is that vaccines take time to create and by the time the particular pathogen involved in a pandemic outbreak is identified it's far too late to create a stockpile of vaccine large enough to do any good before the disease has run its course.

That's why the flu vaccine you get every year is nothing more than an educated guess by the CDC and other medical authorities as to which version of the virus will be prevalent in the next flu season. Production difficulties mean they have to plan at least a year ahead of time in order to manufacture enough and get it distributed, and many times they guess wrong and the vaccines are of very limited value in preventing large outbreaks.

Maybe so, but I still get a jab every year (it's done for free at school... )

In the all the years I've been getting the flu jab, I've never had a dose of the flu; before, most years I did...

[Svartalf]

I've had the flu since I started getting shots, but out of season, and presumably different strains than what I was dosed for... overall flu shots have definitely improved my winters, as before I started them, I ussed to get the bug at least once per winter, if not two or even three times... a rightful annoyance that was.

[mistermack]

The problem is that vaccines take time to create and by the time the particular pathogen involved in a pandemic outbreak is identified it's far too late to create a stockpile of vaccine large enough to do any good before the disease has run its course.

That's why the flu vaccine you get every year is nothing more than an educated guess by the CDC and other medical authorities as to which version of the virus will be prevalent in the next flu season. Production difficulties mean they have to plan at least a year ahead of time in order to manufacture enough and get it distributed, and many times they guess wrong and the vaccines are of very limited value in preventing large outbreaks.

I know that. That stuff is what needs changing. It needs a world centre, with fully international funding, not piecemeal stuff being done round the world.
It could all be beefed up to be faster and more effective. And probably cost no more than now, because you could be eliminating duplication of work, and getting economies of scale.

If they can make Cern, they should be able to do something similar on pandemics.

[Seth]

The problem is that vaccines take time to create and by the time the particular pathogen involved in a pandemic outbreak is identified it's far too late to create a stockpile of vaccine large enough to do any good before the disease has run its course.

That's why the flu vaccine you get every year is nothing more than an educated guess by the CDC and other medical authorities as to which version of the virus will be prevalent in the next flu season. Production difficulties mean they have to plan at least a year ahead of time in order to manufacture enough and get it distributed, and many times they guess wrong and the vaccines are of very limited value in preventing large outbreaks.

I know that. That stuff is what needs changing. It needs a world centre, with fully international funding, not piecemeal stuff being done round the world.
It could all be beefed up to be faster and more effective. And probably cost no more than now, because you could be eliminating duplication of work, and getting economies of scale.

If they can make Cern, they should be able to do something similar on pandemics.

I actually don't disagree with you. Protection of the public health against epidemics is one of the oldest and most firmly established powers of government, going all the way back to Hammurabi. The problem is, as usual, the costs.

[pErvinalia]

If it was such a risk, you would think that there would be a world organisation for immunisation, to produce relevant flu jabs quicker and in real quantity, if a serious outbreak actually occurred.
Pay for it with a tax on air travel, since that is what makes it all such a serious threat.

The problem is that vaccines take time to create and by the time the particular pathogen involved in a pandemic outbreak is identified it's far too late to create a stockpile of vaccine large enough to do any good before the disease has run its course.

That's why the flu vaccine you get every year is nothing more than an educated guess by the CDC and other medical authorities as to which version of the virus will be prevalent in the next flu season. Production difficulties mean they have to plan at least a year ahead of time in order to manufacture enough and get it distributed, and many times they guess wrong and the vaccines are of very limited value in preventing large outbreaks.

Maybe so, but I still get a jab every year (it's done for free at school... )

In the all the years I've been getting the flu jab, I've never had a dose of the flu; before, most years I did...

Live in the middle of nowhere and have no contact with people. I don't get sick any more.