The US invested an additional 590 million USD to promote avian flu vaccine research

“Avian flu variants have proven to be unpredictable and dangerous to humans. Accelerating the process of developing new vaccines allows us to stay ahead and ensure the American people are safe,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services. US Department of Human Services (HHS) Xavier Beccera said on January 17.

This is the second grant, following the first grant awarded by HHS to Moderna in July 2024. This funding helps complete the final stages of development and testing of the mRNA vaccine against H5N1 avian influenza.

Moderna also said it is preparing to put the injection into final-stage testing, which will be announced in the near future. In addition to Moderna, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline (cooperating with CureVac) also participate in avian flu vaccine research but have not disclosed specifics.

Since April 2024, the US has recorded nearly 70 people infected with the H5N1 virus, mainly farm workers. Most infections were mild, with just one death reported in Louisiana last week. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assesses the risk of bird flu to the community as low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission.

mRNA technology has been applied to vaccine research since the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing to speed up the development of shots. Vaccines introduce part of the virus’s genetic genes into the body, stimulating the creation of proteins to trigger an immune response.

Currently, the world has only one type of injection approved by the US, produced by CSL Seqirus company. The US has about 10 million doses in reserve, which can be used early this year.

Bird flu is caused by the H5N1 virus. In humans, the virus can cause severe, rapidly progressing illness and death. Symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, body aches, muscle and throat pain. Currently, there is no treatment for influenza A/H5N1. In addition to vaccines, recommended preventive measures include: not eating meat or slaughtering sick or dead poultry of unknown origin; Make sure to eat well-cooked food and drink boiled water, and wash your hands; Destroy animals when showing signs of disease.