Get the scoop on Finland’s latest move to tackle bird flu by vaccinating humans! Dive into why this decision is sparking attention and what it means for public health worldwide. Discover the unique challenges posed by bird flu and how Finland’s proactive approach could set a precedent for other countries facing similar threats. If you’re curious about the science behind these vaccinations or what experts are saying, this article breaks it all down for you.

Zachary Stieber from the Epoch Times reported that Finland plans to provide avian influenza vaccinations to some workers with animal exposure as early as the week of June 30, according to health officials on June 25. This would make it the world’s first country to do so.

The Nordic country purchased vaccines for 10,000 people, each requiring two injections, as part of a combined European procurement from producer CSL Seqirus of up to 40 million doses for 15 countries.

“The vaccine will be offered to those aged 18 and over who are at increased risk of contracting avian influenza due to their work or other circumstances,” the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare stated in a statement.

The H5N1 form of avian influenza, or bird flu, has been circulating in birds for decades, but has recently spread to other species, including cattle in the United States.

This year, three people in the United States have had confirmed illnesses, while none in Finland.

However, Finnish officials are distributing the vaccination in an attempt to slow the spread of the infection.

“The conditions in Finland are very different in that we have fur farms where the animals can end up in contact with wildlife,” said Dr. Hanna Nohynek, chief physician of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

The primarily open-air fur farms suffered widespread epidemics of avian flu among mink and foxes, prompting the killing of approximately 485,000 animals in 2023 to reduce transmission risk.

According to the institute’s spokeswoman, vaccinations will likely begin as early as next week. People deemed at risk, such as fur farm workers and lab technicians who handle bird flu samples, are eligible for vaccinations.

If any human infections are proven, those in close contact with the patients will be administered the vaccination.

US Orders Vaccines

The United States government has ordered approximately 5 million doses of CSL’s influenza vaccine, with production expected to be completed by the end of the summer.

However, the United States government has no specific plans to begin vaccinating farm laborers or others.

Dawn O’Connell, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the United States Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) stated in May that government authorities were “looking closely” into pressing forward with vaccinations. Nonetheless, the administration has made no formal pronouncements on the matter since then.

During a phone interview with reporters on June 25, Robert Johnson, director of ASPR’s medical countermeasures program, was asked about Finland’s decision to begin vaccinating some people. He stated that ASPR and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that H5N1 is now posing a minimal public health risk.

“Further vaccine deliberations or decisions will require further conversations within the United States government,” Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a CDC official, told reporters.

In a strategy document released on June 25 aimed at a pandemic caused by influenza, US officials stated that vaccinations “could be deployed before an outbreak begins and provide immune responses to a broad range of influenza viruses [and] could enable the population to have some level of protection against H5Nx viruses before a pandemic.”

Officials are approving the testing of several experimental influenza vaccinations, including two self-amplifying RNA vaccines targeting H5N1.

Pfizer and Moderna are also in talks with US officials about messenger RNA vaccines for H5N1, following the development of two extensively used COVID-19 vaccines.

Although three farm workers in the United States have recently tested positive for H5N1, officials have highlighted that the illnesses are thought to have originated in cows and that there are no indicators of person-to-person transmission.

Recently, GreatGameIndia reported that alarming pronouncements from prominent figures have sparked public concern about a potential bird flu pandemic. Media coverage intensifies the anxieties, while government actions like testing mandates and unclear responses from officials further fuel public suspicion.