Bush To Push For Mass-Produced Birdflu Vaccine

[Gold9472]

Bush to push for mass-produced birdflu vaccine

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051006/ts_nm/birdflu_bush_dc

Thu Oct 6,10:50 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will urge manufacturers to come up with ways to mass produce vaccines for the avian flu virus, the White House said on Thursday.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has killed or forced the destruction of tens of millions of birds and infected more than 100 people, killing at least 60 in four Asian nations since late 2003.

Bush and other leaders fear a pandemic of the virus. He and his top advisers were to hold a meeting on Thursday about ways to combat avian flu.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush would meet on Friday with the heads of major manufacturing companies and urge them to expand the capacity to mass produce a vaccine.

He said they have expressed concerns about liability issues.

The virus has already caused losses of $10 billion to $15 billion to the global poultry industry, with the heaviest losses in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

[princesskittypoo]

now he's actually thinking... but is this vaccine going to be a vaccine or another disease? like in africa...

[Gold9472]

I don't know what to think about the Flu Pandemic... Only 60 people have died since 2003... in the grand scheme of things, that's nothing... It's almost as if it's being blown out of proportion... it has to mutate in order for it to become dangerous, and I don't think that's happened yet. Bush could be using the flu to make him look like a "leader".

[princesskittypoo]

he could also be doing it to ensure he becomes a dictator.... someone once told me that democracy would only last for around 200 years then it would start mutating into republic then capitolism and eventually communismor socialism i can't remember i get htem all confused. what are we now/

[Gold9472]

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

What is the risk to humans from the H5N1 virus in Asia? Updated May 24
The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997, however, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Most recently, human cases of H5N1 infection have occurred in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia during large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The death rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. Most of these cases occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.

So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and spread has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus could one day be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an “influenza pandemic” (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur. However, experts from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.

[Gold9472]

Fascism.