Preparation for a possible flu pandemic that could kill millions is gaining ground, with vaccines being developed and stockpiled. While the means to combat pandemics are growing, there’s a good deal of work and investment still needed.
Human cases of the H5N1 avian flu virus fell slightly last year, but the virus persists and is wreaking havoc in the world’s most populous countries where large populations of birds have been infected. While we now have better vaccines, it would take a year to produce one billion doses, compared to three months for a pandemic strain to circle the globe.
An in-depth story and accompanying map appears in the New York Times today.
