Finland Initiates Bird Flu Vaccinations for Humans
Vaccinations are scheduled to commence as early as next week.
Finland is preparing to provide avian influenza vaccinations during the week of June 30 to certain individuals with exposure to animals, according to health authorities on June 25. This makes Finland the first country globally to take this step.
The country has purchased vaccines for 10,000 individuals, each consisting of two injections, as part of a joint European procurement effort for up to 40 million doses for 15 countries from CSL Seqirus, the manufacturer.
“The vaccine will be offered to individuals aged 18 or older who are at higher risk of contracting avian influenza due to their occupation or other factors,” stated the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
The avian influenza H5N1 strain has been present in birds for many years but has recently spread to other species, including cattle in the United States.
While there have been three confirmed human infections in the United States this year, Finland has not reported any cases.
Nevertheless, Finnish authorities are introducing the vaccine in an effort to reduce virus transmission.
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“The situation in Finland is unique as there are fur farms where animals could come into contact with wild birds,” stated Dr. Hanna Nohynek, chief physician at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
Fur farms, which are mostly open-air, experienced large bird flu outbreaks among mink and foxes, leading to the culling of around 485,000 animals in 2023 to reduce transmission risks.
Vaccinations are expected to commence as early as next week, according to an institute spokesperson. Individuals at risk, including fur farm workers and lab technicians handling bird flu samples, are eligible for the vaccinations.
If there are any confirmed human infections, those in close contact with the patients will also be offered the vaccine.
US Orders Vaccines
The U.S. government has ordered almost 5 million doses of the CSL-produced influenza vaccine, with manufacturing set to be completed by the end of summer.
However, there are currently no definite plans in place by the U.S. government to vaccinate farm workers or others.
Robert Johnson, director of ASPR’s medical countermeasures program, addressed Finland’s decision to begin vaccinating certain individuals during a call with reporters on Tuesday. He mentioned that ASPR and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree that H5N1 currently poses a low public health risk.
“Futher deliberations or decisions about vaccines will require additional discussions within the U.S. government,” stated Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a CDC official, to reporters.
In a strategy document released on Tuesday regarding a flu-induced pandemic, U.S. officials stated that vaccines could potentially be deployed before an outbreak occurs to provide immune responses against a wide range of influenza viruses, offering some level of protection against H5Nx viruses prior to a pandemic.
Authorities are supporting the testing of several experimental influenza vaccines, including two self-amplifying RNA vaccines targeting H5N1.
Pfizer and Moderna are also in discussions with U.S. officials about messenger RNA vaccines against H5N1, following the successful development of two widely-used COVID-19 vaccines.
Although three farm workers in the United States have recently tested positive for H5N1, officials emphasize that the infections are believed to have originated from cows and that there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission at this time.
Reuters contributed to this report.
