The UK Government has agreed 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, based on a current H5 avian influenza virus, will be
manufactured by UK based healthcare company CSL Seqirus UK
Limited.
The purchase has been made as part of long-established plans to
boost the UK's access to vaccines for a wider range of pathogens
of pandemic potential.
Dr Meera Chand, Emerging Infection Lead at the UK Health Security
Agency, said:
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.
The procurement will strengthen the UK's preparedness for a H5
influenza originated pandemic by ensuring that vaccines are
immediately available, while a pandemic specific vaccine is made
ready. The UK Government already has an advance purchase
agreement for pandemic vaccines if or when they are needed, that
would be tailored to combat the specific pandemic flu strain
identified at the time.
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, said:
Together with UKHSA, we are committed to
ensuring that the UK is prepared and ready to respond to any
current and future health threats.
Adding the H5 vaccine to our stockpile is one part of our
preparedness plans, improving our readiness to respond to a range
of emerging health threats and protecting people's lives and
livelihoods.
Marc Lacey, Global Head of Pandemic Preparedness and Response at
CSL Seqirus, said:
As a global leader in outbreak and pandemic preparedness, CSL
Seqirus is proud to partner with the UKHSA as part of its
preparedness efforts against emerging influenza threats.
This agreement with the UK government demonstrates the ongoing
importance of partnership in developing strong preparedness plans
and ensuring rapid response capabilities against these health
threats.
Dr Matt Chinn, Director of Scientific Operations at the Animal
and Plant Health Agency (APHA), said:
APHA's
influenza teams have been at the forefront of the UK's response
to avian influenza viruses through sampling and testing both wild
and farmed birds at the National Reference Laboratory for Avian
Influenza at Weybridge.
This work is of vital importance in preparing and responding to
emerging pathogen threats to the UK, helping us to contribute to
a better understanding of the disease and offering reassurance to
the public.
UKHSA actively
monitors for human cases of avian influenza, while APHAtargets surveillance
at captive and wild birds and animals, through their robust
surveillance programmes. This coupled with their genomic
sequencing abilities are crucial to early detection, assessment
and response to emerging health and biosecurity threats such as
avian influenza.
