British Health Secretary Alan Johnson unveiled plans to provide vaccines for the entire population should there ever be a flu pandemic.
While announcing that he had signed an agreement to secure enough flu vaccine for the entire country, Johnson stated that a flu pandemic was "one of the most severe risks" that Britain is facing. In the event of an outbreak the vaccine would be developed based on the specific strain.
The last flu pandemic struck in 1968 and lead to approximately 80,000 death in Britain and over 1 million death worldwide.
A pandemic is a global outbreak of a new influenza virus for which there is no vaccine and for which people have no immunity. The disease spreads quickly from person to person and causes serious illness, even death. It can sweep across a country and the world in a short period of time.
Current concern is focused on the H5N1 virus, Avian Flu (Bird Flu) due to the fact that it is extremely virulent, it is easily spread by migratory birds, it can be transmitted from birds to mammals and on occasion to humans and the virus is continuously evolving.
Countries around the world are working with The World Health Organization in setting up a preparedness plan in the event that a pandemic should occur.
[Source: Yahoo News]
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