Finland First to Offer Preemptive Bird Flu Vaccinations to High-Risk Individuals, Starting Next Week

Finland is set to become the first country in the world to offer preemptive bird flu vaccinations to individuals at high risk of contracting the virus, with vaccinations expected to start as early as next week. The Nordic country has procured vaccines for 10,000 people, consisting of two injections each, as part of a joint EU procurement of up to 40 million doses for 15 nations from manufacturer CSL Seqirus .

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) announced that the vaccine will be offered to individuals aged 18 or over who are at increased risk of contracting avian influenza due to their work or other circumstances. This includes workers at fur and poultry farms, lab technicians who handle bird flu samples, veterinarians who work as animal control officers in regions where fur farms are located, and people working in sanctuaries caring for wild birds, in livestock farms, or in the cleaning of premises, such as animal by-products processing plants .

The decision to roll out vaccinations comes as the H5N1 strain of bird flu continues to spread globally, killing or causing the culling of hundreds of millions of poultry and increasingly affecting mammals, including cows in the United States and, in some cases, humans. While Finland has not detected the virus in humans, the country is taking proactive measures to prevent transmission risks posed by its fur farms.

Why it Matters : The move to vaccinate high-risk individuals is crucial in preventing the spread of bird flu to humans. The virus has already caused widespread outbreaks among mink and foxes at Finland's mostly open-air fur farms, leading to the culling of some 485,000 animals last year to stop the virus from spreading among the animals as well as to humans . By vaccinating those at risk, Finland aims to prevent a potential pandemic and protect its citizens from the deadly virus.

Finland's decision to offer preemptive vaccinations sets a precedent for other countries to follow suit. As the world grapples with the increasing threat of bird flu, Finland's proactive approach serves as a model for preventing the spread of the virus and protecting public health.

Key Takeaways :

• Finland becomes the first country to offer preemptive bird flu vaccinations to high-risk individuals, starting as early as next week.
• The country has procured vaccines for 10,000 people, consisting of two injections each, as part of a joint EU procurement.
• The vaccine will be offered to individuals aged 18 or over who are at increased risk of contracting avian influenza due to their work or other circumstances.
• Finland's fur farms pose a significant transmission risk, prompting the country to take proactive measures to prevent the spread of bird flu to humans.
• The move to vaccinate high-risk individuals sets a precedent for other countries to follow suit in preventing the spread of bird flu and protecting public health.