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H1N1 vaccine production much less than predicted: WHO
by Jaspreet Kaur - September 18, 2009 - comments
The reduced production of H1N1 vaccine might be covered up as rich nations are going to donate some to the under-developed countries
Geneva, September 18 -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the production of H1N1 vaccine over the next year will be “substantially less” than the 4.9 billion doses that were earlier predicted. But the organisation also said that one dose is enough to provide sufficient protection.
According to WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl, manufacturing of the new vaccine will be less than 94 million doses. The new statistics have come up after clinical test results collected from some 25 drug makers.
WHO has said in a statement that the present supplies of H1N1 vaccine are “inadequate for a world population in which virtually everyone is susceptible to infection”.
The organization had predicted that one third of the world’s total population of about seven billion people might be affected by the H1N1 pandemic. But the good news is that most of the H1N1 patients suffer from only mild symptoms.
Rich nations to donate H1N1 vaccine
However, the decision taken by nine rich countries to donate H1N1 vaccines to the under-developed countries is being appreciated by the WHO.
It said, “The announcement demonstrates the commitment of these countries to fairness in sharing of scarce resources as the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 continues to evolve.”
According to the announcement, the United States has pledged to donate 10 percent of its vaccine supply. Joining the U.S. will be countries like Australia, Brazil, Britain, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. Also, vaccine makers GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi-Pasteur are going to donate 120 million doses to the WHO.
The vaccines will be distributed according to a certain plan. “The order in which we distribute vaccines would also depend on where on the epidemiological curve the country is,” said Hartl.
People at high-risk should be given priority
Stressing on the need to vaccinate people at high-risk of contracting the disease, the WHO said that health care workers, pregnant women and those with core conditions like asthma or diabetes, should be given precedence over others for receiving the new vaccine.
The WHO is also emphasizing that people should get themselves vaccinated for both seasonal as well as H1N1 flu.
As of now, around 3,486 people have lost their lives because of swine flu. Almost 300 people died in the past week, according to latest data released by the WHO.
The virus is still wrecking havoc and is spreading in tropical regions of Asia i.e., India and Bangladesh and in Bolivia and Venezuela in Latin America.
On an average, the H1N1 influenza rates are low in Europe, except for France, where it is a bit high.