Bird Flu Vaccinations in Finland

SOURCE www.the-express.com
Finland becomes the first country to start bird flu vaccinations for humans, offering preemptive vaccines to workers at risk of avian influenza. The vaccines are part of a joint EU procurement and are set to be rolled out as early as next week.

Key Points

  • Workers at fur and poultry farms, lab technicians, veterinarians, and others at risk to be offered vaccines
  • Close contacts of suspected or confirmed cases also eligible for vaccination
  • H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed millions of poultry globally

Pros

  • Preemptive measure to protect workers at risk of avian influenza
  • Part of joint EU procurement for up to 40 million doses
  • Vaccinations likely to start as early as next week in Finland

Cons

  • No human cases of bird flu detected in Finland
  • Vaccine rollout due to high transmission risks from fur farms