I have found that our proposal re vaccinating poultry workers with seasonal influenza in order to reduce the probability of recombination of H5N1 with human influenza is already WHO policy:
WHO global influenza preparedness plan:
The role of WHO and recommendations for
national measures before and during pandemics
WHO/CDS/CSR/GIP/2005.5
Countries with cases should:
... continue promoting vaccination with seasonal
influenza vaccine to limit risk of dual infection in
those most likely to be exposed to the animal
virus, and potentially decrease concurrent
circulation of human strains in the outbreak affected
area.
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2005/WHO_CDS_CSR_GIP_2005.5.pdf p27
So why is this not being done?
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Poultry Worker Vaccination adopted by European Parliament
Press release from Caroline Lucas, Green MEP SE England:
EURO-MPs VOTE FOR MEASURES TO CONTROL BIRD ‘FLU
MEP WARNS: DON’T REPEAT FOOT AND MOUTH BLUNDERS OVER BIRD ‘FLU
THE European Parliament has voted to adopt a package of emergency measures prevent avian flu mutating and triggering an epidemic of human influenza in the EU.
MEPs have called on EU member states to co-operate on preparing for an avian flu outbreak, to share information and anti-viral drug supplies and to increase the level of ‘standard’ ’flu vaccination.
The Parliament also adopted Green proposals to offer all poultry farm workers standard ‘flu vaccines to reduce the risk of avian flu spreading to humans – but rejected calls for drug companies to relax patents on anti-viral drugs to allow production of generic alternatives in poorer countries, and systematic screening of air filters from flights originating in countries affected by the virus.
Green MEP Caroline Lucas said she was pleased the Parliament had accepted the Green proposal to offer ‘flu vaccines to all poultry workers, and to co-operate fully on planning and communication to avoid making the same mistakes as during the 2001 Foot And Mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
“MEPs have today shown they are serious not only about trying to prevent an influenza pandemic but also about planning and communicating effectively to ensure the EU learns from the UK’s disastrous handling of the 2001 FMD epidemic.”
Dr Lucas, who was Vice-President of the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry into the UK’s handling of the FMD epidemic, added: “Millions of healthy animals were slaughtered needlessly and – some four five years later – many rural communities and farmers are yet to recover from the economic and psychological impact of the Government’s poor handling of FMD.
“The Government and EU must learn the lessons of recent history and make sure public health and the welfare of affected communities take precedence over market interests.”
She added that she was disappointed MEPs had rejected an amendment to call on the manufacturers of anti-viral drugs to allow the production of cheaper, generic alternatives in poorer countries and for the EU to provide greater support to developing countries affected by the virus.
She said: “I’m concerned that we are in danger of forgetting that the greatest risk for an influenza pandemic is from Asian countries, and that we should provide greater support for these countries – both because it’s in the EU’s own interests – but also, crucially, because it’s required in the interests of international solidarity.”
ENDS
EURO-MPs VOTE FOR MEASURES TO CONTROL BIRD ‘FLU
MEP WARNS: DON’T REPEAT FOOT AND MOUTH BLUNDERS OVER BIRD ‘FLU
THE European Parliament has voted to adopt a package of emergency measures prevent avian flu mutating and triggering an epidemic of human influenza in the EU.
MEPs have called on EU member states to co-operate on preparing for an avian flu outbreak, to share information and anti-viral drug supplies and to increase the level of ‘standard’ ’flu vaccination.
The Parliament also adopted Green proposals to offer all poultry farm workers standard ‘flu vaccines to reduce the risk of avian flu spreading to humans – but rejected calls for drug companies to relax patents on anti-viral drugs to allow production of generic alternatives in poorer countries, and systematic screening of air filters from flights originating in countries affected by the virus.
Green MEP Caroline Lucas said she was pleased the Parliament had accepted the Green proposal to offer ‘flu vaccines to all poultry workers, and to co-operate fully on planning and communication to avoid making the same mistakes as during the 2001 Foot And Mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
“MEPs have today shown they are serious not only about trying to prevent an influenza pandemic but also about planning and communicating effectively to ensure the EU learns from the UK’s disastrous handling of the 2001 FMD epidemic.”
Dr Lucas, who was Vice-President of the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry into the UK’s handling of the FMD epidemic, added: “Millions of healthy animals were slaughtered needlessly and – some four five years later – many rural communities and farmers are yet to recover from the economic and psychological impact of the Government’s poor handling of FMD.
“The Government and EU must learn the lessons of recent history and make sure public health and the welfare of affected communities take precedence over market interests.”
She added that she was disappointed MEPs had rejected an amendment to call on the manufacturers of anti-viral drugs to allow the production of cheaper, generic alternatives in poorer countries and for the EU to provide greater support to developing countries affected by the virus.
She said: “I’m concerned that we are in danger of forgetting that the greatest risk for an influenza pandemic is from Asian countries, and that we should provide greater support for these countries – both because it’s in the EU’s own interests – but also, crucially, because it’s required in the interests of international solidarity.”
ENDS
Monday, October 24, 2005
Immunising Poultry Workers
BBC TV Points West news has reported tonight on my action as a General Practitioner who has just given his chicken farmer patient a shot of Influenza A vaccine.
I would like to explain the thinking behind my actions.
This will not stop my patients from getting Avian flu, but it will reduce the chance that this year's Influenza A virus will survive for long in their bodies. If Avian H5N1 virus should ever come to their farm, it is more unlikely that it would be able to combine with the human flu virus to produce the feared pandemic virus. To an infinitesimal degree therefore, my action has reduced the chance of a H5N1 pandemic. If this action were to be reproduced millions of times again in areas of high risk, it would give us a chance that the pandemic could be averted.
The Health Protection Agency has been reported as responding that my action was premature. I dispute this. It takes 10-14 days before protective antibody levels develop after vaccination. In the exceedingly unlikely event of a migrating bird infecting my patient's flock, vaccination would be too late.
It is absolutely true that poultry in the UK are not at risk of avian flu, at present. Our poultry farmers should be vaccinated at leisure, but the priority effort of immunisation should be targeted in South Asia, where experts agree the combination is most likely to occur. The UK Medical Research Council is flying experts to South Asia to boost flu surveillance programmes. It is good to monitor: but the medics should also be setting up vaccination programmes targeted on poultry workers.
I fully realise the logistical difficulties of vaccinating each and every last Chinese and South Asian chicken farmer, but it is well worth attempting.
I have today written to twenty vaccine manufacturers in the world to alert them to this possibility, and seek feedback on the feasibility of producing enough vaccine. I believe that the WHO could succeed in this project, given a major effort and adequate resources. The cost would be negligible compared with the astronomical cost and economic disruption caused by a pandemic of virulent influenza arising from a combination of Avian flu and common, seasonal Influenza A.
We do have time to do this. At present we know of only 120 people worldwide that have caught avian flu from their birds. As this number rises, so too does the probability of a new strain combining the virulence of avian flu and the infectivity of seasonal influenza: but it may need thousands of cases to produce a serious probability of this worrying combination.
The proposal is in line with WHO policy, which is to use influenza A vaccine widely, but the WHO has not yet gone the extra step of advising that poultry farmers and bird workers should be given front-line status. I have been writing to medical authorities including Dr David Nabarro, the WHO medical officer with responsibility for policy in meeting the challenge of the pandemic.
Pandemic flu is not inevitable. Given a major effort in immunising at-risk poultry workers, the probability of emergence can be reduced to a significant degree.
I would like to explain the thinking behind my actions.
This will not stop my patients from getting Avian flu, but it will reduce the chance that this year's Influenza A virus will survive for long in their bodies. If Avian H5N1 virus should ever come to their farm, it is more unlikely that it would be able to combine with the human flu virus to produce the feared pandemic virus. To an infinitesimal degree therefore, my action has reduced the chance of a H5N1 pandemic. If this action were to be reproduced millions of times again in areas of high risk, it would give us a chance that the pandemic could be averted.
The Health Protection Agency has been reported as responding that my action was premature. I dispute this. It takes 10-14 days before protective antibody levels develop after vaccination. In the exceedingly unlikely event of a migrating bird infecting my patient's flock, vaccination would be too late.
It is absolutely true that poultry in the UK are not at risk of avian flu, at present. Our poultry farmers should be vaccinated at leisure, but the priority effort of immunisation should be targeted in South Asia, where experts agree the combination is most likely to occur. The UK Medical Research Council is flying experts to South Asia to boost flu surveillance programmes. It is good to monitor: but the medics should also be setting up vaccination programmes targeted on poultry workers.
I fully realise the logistical difficulties of vaccinating each and every last Chinese and South Asian chicken farmer, but it is well worth attempting.
I have today written to twenty vaccine manufacturers in the world to alert them to this possibility, and seek feedback on the feasibility of producing enough vaccine. I believe that the WHO could succeed in this project, given a major effort and adequate resources. The cost would be negligible compared with the astronomical cost and economic disruption caused by a pandemic of virulent influenza arising from a combination of Avian flu and common, seasonal Influenza A.
We do have time to do this. At present we know of only 120 people worldwide that have caught avian flu from their birds. As this number rises, so too does the probability of a new strain combining the virulence of avian flu and the infectivity of seasonal influenza: but it may need thousands of cases to produce a serious probability of this worrying combination.
The proposal is in line with WHO policy, which is to use influenza A vaccine widely, but the WHO has not yet gone the extra step of advising that poultry farmers and bird workers should be given front-line status. I have been writing to medical authorities including Dr David Nabarro, the WHO medical officer with responsibility for policy in meeting the challenge of the pandemic.
Pandemic flu is not inevitable. Given a major effort in immunising at-risk poultry workers, the probability of emergence can be reduced to a significant degree.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Avian Flu Proposals
I have put my avian flu proposals up on GreenHealth; they are
1 Prevent the emergence of pandemic flu by vaccinating poultry workers, starting in China and South Asia
2 Slow its spread via air travel by carrying out virological studies on airline cabin air filters.
3 Educating the public on self-isolation in the event of suffering any flu-like illness.
1 Prevent the emergence of pandemic flu by vaccinating poultry workers, starting in China and South Asia
2 Slow its spread via air travel by carrying out virological studies on airline cabin air filters.
3 Educating the public on self-isolation in the event of suffering any flu-like illness.
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