CIDRAP >> US awards $1 billion for cell-based flu vaccines — The map above shows that the 1918 flu spread across most of the country within a month. So exactly what does anyone expect to accomplish needing a six month lead-time to get out the vaccine? This is like a bad joke.
The announcement comes a day after the Bush administration released a 228-page plan for implementing its flu pandemic strategy. One of the administration’s goals is to develop the capacity for domestic production of enough vaccine for every American within 6 months of the emergence of a pandemic.
It takes about 6 months to grow seasonal flu vaccines in eggs, and the eggs must be ordered well in advance. Growing vaccines in laboratory cell cultures promises to be a somewhat faster and much more flexible approach. The method is already used for a number of other vaccines, such as polio, hepatitis A, and chickenpox.
I dont know wheather to take this ALL seriously or NOT…
Figureing the transportation abilities and movements of those in the 1918’s, and the increase in mobility at this time…I would give it 1-2 weeks to spread, and then SLOWLY cover the median areas into the RURAL area of the nation.
THAT, and the notion, of our country playing…’Hide the pea’ game on us.
Watch this hand while we TAKE ALL YOUR MONEY trick.
Looks like it starts on Cape Cod. Guess I’ll be one of the first to go.
I liked the statement where they said that a overtaxed healthcare system would be supplemented by generous Americans volunteering to care for the sick. More likely to be shot just driving in someone’s yard. After the strong survives the infection, they could help then. It would take weeks before they could recover enough to help. The last time I had the regular flu it threw my ass in the bed for 10 days. I was dragging for another 2 weeks. Let’s face it, a lot of us will lie in our own bed and either survive or die. Unless you’re very wealthy you can’t isolate you and your family for the months it takes this to burn out.
The Gov of Massachusetts basically said we are on our own if it hits. Don’t depend on the State or Feds and we should start stockpiling food now.
I thought wow what a refreshing breath of honesty… then I realized… Oh
SH**T…
It all reminds me of a few years ago when the Swine Flue was going to kill off the free world. Not only were more people hurt by the prophylactic flu shots then by the actual disease that failed to appear, the methods of producing vaccine didn’t improve. I am a little surprised that HHS didn’t award any faith based initiatives instead relying just on science. We might just need it.
wonder what the shelf life of the vaccine is? If they don’t want to produce it now, then it must be short.
Damn, guess I better start feeding the birds that come into my yard arsenic.
We are good for the food stock up. This is for real……my Dad just got 120 blocks(bars?) of offical emergancy rations for disasters. Also U.S. Coast Guard approved…..lol…..some company that produces them gave them to a homeless shelter, who couldn’t use them, so they sold them to mt Dads friend, who gave half to my Dad…..so we cool!!!!
It would do little or no good to produce vaccine in advance. You can’t know what the mutated virus structure will be. You could miss the target entirely — and just waste resources.
I love these new govment plans. in new orleans if it floods leave town in america do not get sick. sound like de govment got it all figured out
Typicalneo-con response to EVERYTHING: give big money to big corporations.
Still, I have to say.. IT’S ABOUT TIME! getting some vaccines developed. Should have been started a couple years ago when everybody else saw this coming.