Opinion: Advancing H5 influenza vaccines against pandemic threats
Three international vaccine and public health experts recently published a viewpoint opinion article in JAMA, addressing the global threat of H5N1 influenza. The experts cautiously, but optimistically, discuss the use of vaccines to fight avian influenza, specifically H5N1, in humans. They note that there are FDA-licensed H5N1 vaccines available. However, these vaccines were developed using older virus strains, and their effectiveness can vary depending on how well they match the circulating strains. The experts highlight the importance of stockpiling vaccines to ensure quick access to high-risk populations during a pandemic. One proposed strategy is to prioritize "investing in immunity" through pre-pandemic immunization. This strategy aims to build immunity in the population against H5 and other potential pandemic strains, enabling faster vaccination in case of an outbreak. However, the experts do not address the vaccination of poultry flocks and cattle dairy herds.
