H1N1 epidemic, pandemic as it is now, is unstoppable, and therefore all countries will need to have access to vaccine.
Marie-Paule Kieny • The director of vaccine research with the WHO, on the spread of the disease, which has killed 500 worldwide and sickened 1 million. Another scary note: Vaccine production yields have been poor, so supply isn’t as great as it should be. Another report notes that if Tamiflu becomes ineffective against the disease, things could get really scary: “Collectively, our findings are a reminder that (strains of swine flu) have not yet garnered a place in history, but may still do so.” • source
Swine flu, known by experts and supernerds as H1N1, is likely to be called a pandemic by the World Health Organization today. It would be the first disease named pandemic in 40 years. source
Despite this, though, it’s not really any more dangerous than it was yesterday. It would just get a new title and merely confirm that the disease is a worldwide outbreak. We swear. source
The reality is that from the time the potentially pandemic virus is identified, it takes between four and six months to have the first doses of vaccine coming out of the factory and being available for immunizing people.
Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny • WHO director of the Initiative for Vaccine Research, on the process of getting a vaccine out to the public. It’s not the quickest process in the world, but they’re already ahead of the game in one respect – they have the virus identified, which is a major step in production. In other news, the H1N1 outbreak (we still hate that name BTW – it’s not that we don’t think there should be another name, but it’s very clinical) seems to be flagging to some degree in Mexico City, which is positive. • source
The real issue is that anything is bad now because producers for the past 19 months have already lost money. On average they’ve lost about $20 a pig. So even if they lose $2 more, it’s hard on them.
Dave Warner • Communications director for the National Pork Producers Council, on how the “inaccurate” name for the flu strain, swine flu, has already hurt their industry. Swine flu, they say, is a combination of swine and human flu strains that you can’t get through eating pork. WHO has heard their criticism and changed the name to H1N1, but it’s terrible. So whatever. • source