The UK Government has responded to the future risk of a H5 influenza pandemic (often associated with avian influenza) by agreeing a contract for the supply of H5 influenza vaccine, based on a current H5 avian influenza virus.
A H5 influenza pandemic is a low likelihood but potentially very high impact global threat, with the concern being that, should the virus mutate to a new variant which could easily infect humans, there could be widespread outbreaks with high death rates. Current human cases of H5N1 have had a fatality rate exceeding 50% in many outbreaks.
To assist with planning for this pandemic risk the UK Health Security Agency has signed a contract for more than five million doses of human H5 influenza vaccine to boost the country’s resilience in the event of a possible H5 influenza pandemic.
The vaccine will be manufactured by UK based healthcare company CSL Seqirus UK Limited.
It is important for us to be prepared against a range of different influenza viruses that may pose human health risks. Early access to vaccines saves lives. Adding H5 vaccines to the interventions already available to us will help us to be ready for a wider range of threats. The influenza A (H5N1) virus has been causing a prolonged global outbreak, primarily in birds, over the past few years. It is only if this virus were to start spreading among humans, of which there is no evidence at this stage, that the human H5 influenza vaccine would be used.
Dr Meera Chand, Emerging Infection Lead at the UK Health Security Agency
