Interesting flu

[LibForestPaul]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3719990.stm

Scientists have shown that tiny changes to modern flu viruses could render them as deadly as the 1918 strain which killed millions.

A US team added two genes from a sample of the 1918 virus to a modern strain known to have no effect on mice.

Animals exposed to this composite were dying within days of symptoms similar to those found in human victims of the 1918 pandemic.

[LibForestPaul]

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE56C60820090713

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saying the new H1N1 virus is "unstoppable", the World Health Organization gave drug makers a full go-ahead to manufacture vaccines against the pandemic influenza strain on Monday and said healthcare workers should be the first to get one.

Every country will need to vaccinate citizens against the swine flu virus and must choose who else would get priority after nurses, doctors and technicians, said Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO director of the Initiative for Vaccine Research.

[LibForestPaul]

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/statelocal/qa.htm

Q. Will project areas (CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness grantees) be able to limit the amount of vaccine they receive?
A. Yes, project areas will be able to determine what proportion of their allocation they wish to receive.

Q. Will there be a separate allocation for active duty DOD?
A. Yes, there will be a separate allocation for active duty DoD. It is not included in the project area allocations.